Unravel – theSpaceUK @ Surgeons’ Hall

All Arya wants to do is eat her chips. Dressed in dungarees, her hair is messily piled on top of her head. A single chair and a table are present on the stage. The lighting is basic and neutral. A baby cries and so begins an involved character study of postpartum depression and paranoia. The representation of the child is a small bundle of wool and cloth. The bundle isn’t particularly well cared for. This action, deliberate or not, offers a useful metaphor for the piece.

Arya reads The Eddas to her baby in the belief that intellectual nurture will give him the life she never had. The early beats of the monologue run through a traditional pattern. Exhaustion is ever present and Solene Capaldi’s performance as the mother begins to intrigue and come alive. And then the disembodied voice of Ayra’s conscience creeps out.

This device steps up the production’s scope and Ayra’s descent into madness begins to form. The voice plays with her psyche. It mocks her, praises her and most importantly adds essential comic relief to what is an intense opening. The voice questions and interrogates as Ayra’s naturally rhythmic and delightfully eccentric ripostes unravel at the shows first climactic point.

The voice tells Ayra to kill her child. The tone changes. The theatre becomes morbidly black and so does Capaldi’s performance. Dialogue that was previously just banter is now horrifyingly serious, but this catalyst unlocks the play’s next direction. A therapy session with yourself as patient and psychiatrist is never advised but the voice from nowhere guides the character into an involved questioning of just why her insecurity has taken over. This deconstruction is somewhat episodic but never not heartfelt. The play slows in the middle but when the writing is at its best, so is Capaldi and this is who holds the show together.  

Unravel is a play about inadequacy in the face of misunderstood guilt. In this instance said guilt is a patchwork of parental tropes. Some are dramatically superior to others. Religion rears its head but is underdeveloped in broader scope The pressure of her own mother, the rejection of the baby’s father all help layer the tapestry of realization and give consistent material for Capaldi to hit rock bottom in demonic, possessed and hysterical fashion. There’s measure in this intensity; it doesn’t all happen at once. It happens in the eyes and facial expressions of a performer who has clearly been instructed with care by director Gabriella Krumova.

Themes of infanticide can be tough work to digest, particularly if handled without appropriate consideration. Unravel addresses the subject of motherhood in a focused narrative. Oscar Macdonald’s writing shows real promise, and the material has clear potential for development.

Ultimately, it’s a rewarding watch thanks to Capaldi’s involved performance. With a lesser performer in the lead, the show might not hit in the way it does. Her interpretation of the material executes the work but this aside, the show isn’t without its structural flaws. As a gimmick the voiceover works well but the premise seen via an additional element of delivery (e.g. a tv screen) would create a wider visual concept and some variation would aid the experience. Theatre like this work well on the Fringe. There are many examples every year but standout performances make shows, and this has one in Solene Capaldi. 

Reviewer: Al Carretta

Reviewed: 19th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: