Review: THE PITCHFORK DISNEY, Shoreditch Town Hall

Philip Ridley's widely acclaimed 1991 play has been revived by Jamie Lloyd, and is back in its native East End for a limited run in conjunction with its partner production Killer. In a change from Lloyd's usual big, brash West End style, The Pitchfork Disney is being played in the basement of Shoreditch Town Hall. It follows in the footsteps of Trainspotting as an immersive piece of theatre with cult appeal.

Presley and Haley Stray live alone; their parents are gone, but have left behind fond memories in the siblings of Sunday drives and family meals. In their stead, Presley and Haley have got into a routine that mainly consists of eating chocolate, taking their 'medicine' and sleeping. Their lives run as smoothly as possible within these parameters until Presley decides to let a stranger (and his "associate") into the house and things take a sinister turn.

Long-time Jamie Lloyd collaborator Soutra Gilmour is once again responsible for the production's design, transforming the basement into the Strays' home. The audience is invited into their world, seated on a variety of chairs, stools and even chests of drawers. Richard Howell's lighting design really comes into its own when the mysterious visitors arrive in their car, its approach evident through the windows. Otherwise, the lights are fairly low, adding to the sleepy effect of the piece.

Tom Rhys Harries is equal parts hilarious and menacing as Cosmo Disney, the "pretty boy" Presley helps in from the street. With him is Seun Shote as Pitchfork Cavalier: a hulking, masked man in a latex suit, made all the more intimidating by his inability to speak properly.

Hayley Squires brings a very relatable feeling of instinctive human fear to Haley, who has become quite agoraphobic and unwilling to interact with anyone aside from her brother. It is a revelatory performance from George Blagden as Presley, delivering several complicated and lengthy monologues with aplomb. His protectiveness towards his sister is moving; it's clear their bond is very strong.

Jamie Lloyd's production is an engrossing affair. In this version, it feels like particular prominence is given to Presley's recurring nightmare of a nuclear holocaust - rather apt, given the precarious political atmosphere engulfing the world. The play is designed to be ambiguous and open to personal interpretation, which makes for a more thought-provoking 90 minutes as you take in the surrealist influences and its overwhelmingly dreamlike feeling and process events for yourself. With stellar performances all round, this is an experience that should not be missed.

The Pitchfork Disney is at Shoreditch Town Hall until 18 March

Picture credit: Matt Humphrey