Twenty People a Minute – theSpace on the Mile

‘Twenty People a Minute’ is a new play that provides a terrifying outlook of what the near future could look like. Set in 2030, the play follows four people fleeing from their homes for different reasons – whether being persecuted for their gender, sexuality, or fleeing from war and natural disasters. These refugees of tomorrow highlight the social, political and environmental crises plaguing the world today and how they might impact individuals in the future.

Written by Samantha Robinson, her prose seamlessly becomes poetry whilst the fragmented storylines slowly intertwine and come together in the end. Her excellent writing carries the audience through the play, being fast-paced and using repetitions to underline the characters constant questioning of themselves and the situation they are in, whilst also leaving room to take a deep breath between scenes.

All four performers do the story and their characters justice, and ‘Twenty People a Minute’ being a very ensemble-led play, they play off each other well and are in tune with everyone else on stage at all times – it feels like the performers share the same heartbeat. Isabella Velarde particularly stands out with their heart-wrenching portrayal of Ash, a girl on the run by herself, trying to find safety in the unknown.

Tom Mullins’ direction also deserves to be highlighted, as he lets the performers fill the space without the need for any props or set making it impossible to take your eyes off them. And soundscape created by Ian Sutherland perfectly underlines the Character’s emotions whilst simultaneously creating the surroundings the Characters find themselves in.

With the effects of the climate crisis becoming more and more prominent and fascism being on the rise in many European countries, ‘Twenty People a Minute’ is a valuable exploration of what might happen to our world if we don’t make some change. Along with the play, Arthur & Redpath Productions are raising awareness of multiple charities supporting refugee, gender and LGBTQIA+ equality. This is by far one of the most important shows on the Fringe this year and will hopefully go on to having a longer run in the future as more people should get the opportunity to get to watch it.

If you see anything on the Fringe this year, make it this show!

Reviewer: Christina Schmidt

Reviewed: 13th August 2023

North West End UK Rating: