Review: THE FRESHWATER FIVE, VAULT Festival

"What is it in here that feels so off?"

When looking at my favourite dramatic plays, they tend to include historic events and stories in which guilt and innocence are questioned. When I heard there was a play at the VAULT Festival about a case that is still being fought to be appealed, I was immediately hooked, pun fully intended.

What would The Freshwater Five bring? The set is made up of a large anchor standing center along with traps, barrels, and nets thrown haphazardly across the stage. As the audience enters, they are greeted by the sound of water lapping against the shore, transporting them to the Isle of Wight and the story of the Freshwater Five. For those unfamiliar with the Freshwater Five, as I was before seeing this show, there were five fishermen on the Isle of Wight - Jamie Green, Daniel Payne, Zoran Dresic, Jon Beere, and Scott Birtwistle - who, in 2011, were sentenced to prison in a conspiracy involving £53 million worth of cocaine.

Unfortunately, just like the confusion that the real-life case causes, The Freshwater Five was incredibly confusing. What exactly were the Freshwater Five doing out on the water? Were they fishing? Who were these people? Why did some of them get more jail time than others? There are moments in which poetry is used in an attempt to make the show more lyrical with a strong focus on The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Tennyson's Crossing the Bar, but for those unfamiliar with the poem, it is impossible to tell when (or even if) it has been referenced.

One of the most interesting aspects of the show and its flashbacks is how the solicitor, Emily Bolton, is literally thrust into the action of the past, becoming a member of the crew and observing the events as they occur. The Freshwater Five revolves around looking at the past to understand how to free the men in the present, but once the actual appeal trial is held, nothing makes sense. Even if you want to support the Freshwater Five, you don't exactly know why, other than the fact that they seem innocent.

In a serious show, it was surprising to discover that its funniest bits were the best part of the show, including a conversation between solicitor Emily and former engineer James as Emily is trying to get data from the day the cocaine was discovered and group of islanders ganging up on a confused Londoner.

Ultimately, The Freshwater Five is a show that may have a powerful message, but it is buried beneath layers of confusion that are never unravelled. Audience members shouldn't have to do their own research to figure out the basic information a show is based on - I'd much rather a show has too much exposition than not enough. The attempts to make the show more lyrical with poetry and songs would have enhanced it if it didn't confuse the audience more.

With work on a more cohesive storyline, The Freshwater Five could become an impactful piece on the justice system and the world of the Isle of Wight.

The Freshwater Five ran at the VAULT Festival from 7 to 12 March in the Cage at The Vaults.

Photo Credit: VAULT Festival

VAULT Festival has been left without a venue for next year. You can contribute to the #SaveVAULT campaign here.

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