Review: NAKED PEOPLE WAKING UP, Etcetera Theatre

Four people wake up in a locked room, almost naked. They couldn't be more different from one another but right now they're all equally confused as to what's going on. Concept Theatre's debut show starts off with a strong premise but doesn't, unfortunately, fulfill its capacity at the present stage.

Directed by Olugbeminiyi Bammodu and devised by the company, Naked People Waking Up regrettably enters a vicious circle of clichés. The Millennial with a degree is forced to work in a Wetherspoon; the young woman who has delayed starting a family is now regretting it; the Baby Boomer who lived with an abusive father doesn't know how to love his child nor wife; the Gen Z is, well, a Gen Z.

The characters are thrown into brief scenes where they get to relieve past memories and imaginary scenarios. These work well in their Scrooge-like purpose, but the build-up to the focus of the show is too weak to sustain the thematic weight of the play. The shortcomings in creating momentum have a drastic effect on the outcome of the plot, which is once again sadly rushed.

The four should be changed by the jarring experience but the lack of tension makes it seem like nothing is truly at stake in their development. Nonetheless, by presenting a solid idea the piece owns all the potential to grow into something more defined (and refined) than this initial production.