Review: IN MEMORIAM, The Chapel Playhouse

In Memoriam seeks out to explore how social media has become a tool that hangs above the heads of users like a sword of Damocles. It's only when Doll moves in with her friends Dex and Mel that those around her notice how dependant from Memoriam (a new sharing platform that allows people to download and enjoy uploaders' memories) she's become. They decide to stage an intervention to help her.

Rosanna Foster writes a play that is very promising in its concept but severely lacking in its realisation. She tries to tackle too many issues, setting out storylines that fall short and are ultimately inconsequential. The script feels forced at times, with unnatural qualities to its lines and slightly preachy in its goals. The characters are insufferable and flat with bitter performances to match.

Directed by Liam Ashmead, this production unfortunately misfires on all levels. The mumbling and generally disappointing acting only exacerbate the fundamental problems of the play. It's nothing that a textual refurbishing won't see to, but at this stage it doesn't show all the potential it could.

The interesting plot points like Doll's appropriating Dex's memories and the man's exploitation of his personal life are neglected in favour of lots of bickering and past resentment between the sisters, which sway the science fiction lead onto family melodrama.

This production of In Memoriam isn't satisfactory. It does, however, own compelling ideas that beg to be expanded and developed, while others can be easily discarded to achieve a thought-provoking examination of the online consumption of other people's lives.

In Memoriam runs at The Chapel Playhouse until 11 August as part of Camden Fringe.