Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre

Blackout Songs, at the Hampstead Theatre, is a thought-provoking and original play that portrays the ups and downs of a co-dependent couple struggling with alcoholism. Written by Joe White and directed by Guy Jones, the play is both hard-edged and heartwarming, with a compelling structure that captures the essence of the couple’s relationship.

Alex Austin and Rebecca Humphries give an exceptional performance as the two alcoholics battling their demons. Their odd, associative conversation at first appears like a drunken conversation, not half as interesting when sober. But as the play progresses, the tenderness, intensity and undercurrents of pain begin to shine through, and the audience becomes more emotionally invested in their relationship.

The lighting by Christopher Nairne pulsates with hedonistic excess, then tightens its focus around the couple like a visual embrace. The interludes of music (sound design by Holly Khan) and movement (directed by Iskandar R Sharazuddin) are powerful and add to the overall depth of the play.

The non-linear staging of the play is similar to Nick Payne’s Constellations, with gaps that stand in for alcoholic amnesia and contested realities. The writing is brave and original, exploring mutual addiction and the compulsion to keep drinking, which is caught up with creativity for the artist and a rebellion against “normality” for the barfly. The play shows the inner battles of each character, making it hard-edged and unsentimental one minute, and heart-meltingly warm the next.

Although the play focuses on a romantic tragedy about two alcoholics, it has moments of humour, indicative of the wild spirit of living in the present. Overall, “Blackout Songs” is a funny kind of romantic tragedy that becomes compulsive to watch. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a thought-provoking play that is both emotionally charged and visually stunning.

Cast & Creatives

a dark and witty tragedy

Summary

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a thought-provoking drama that is both emotionally charged and visually stunning.

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User Review

5 (2 votes)