REVIEW: Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at Barons Court Theatre

Words don’t do justice to Sam Steiner’s Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons. Set in an almost dystopian future; combining a deeply political play with a love story is not an easy feat, but Steiner captures the complexity perfectly. Lemons explores a world where a 140-word limit, the ‘Hush Law’ has been enforced and demonstrates the effects it has on a couple, Bernadette (Jemima Murphy) and Oliver (Charlie Suff). The play jumps around in time, made up of very short, fast-paced scenes, but it is easy to follow. It is set over a potential time span of years, flitting back and forth between pre-word limit and present day and shows the deterioration of love and trust between Bernadette and Oliver. 

Although the play’s first performance was back in 2015, it is more relevant than ever. Testing the limits of freedom of speech, the Hush Law creates cracks in social class and introduces discussions that could be real life scenarios. It is scary to realise how identifiable it is to disagree with close friends and family over the future of the country.

REVIEW: Dante’s Divine Comedy at the Barons Court Theatre

Theatre company So it goes has just started a run at the Barons Court Theatre with Dante’s Divine Comedy, showing until 30 September. It was my first time visiting this theatre, which is small but has very good acoustics and provides great intimacy. Somehow, the audience feels it is watching something hidden, unique, and the space also fits very well with Dante Alighieri’s epic poem taking us through inferno, purgatory and heaven, hopefully to find his true love Beatrice as well as himself. 

The stage’s back wall is lit by the image of a broken screen as the audience enters, and during the show, it often becomes to background for Dante’s ascent during his quest, showing shadows of terrifying creatures and elements gone wild (played as a magnificent ensemble of five female actresses). I very much enjoyed the use of lighting and the animations by Matthew Kirke and Douglas Baker, which gave me a cave-like feeling and truly took me to where Dante was. One of the last kaleidoscopic moving images of Dante’s face was particularly strong.