Foreverland at the Southwark Playhouse Borough

If you could live forever, would you? That is the question that this bold and human play poses.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

I was fortunate to be invited to watch the media night of Foreverland at the Southwark Playhouse Borough in their Little auditorium. This intimate staging is perfect for a play such as this as it fully immerses the audience into the show, which adds to the power that the show has. Also, I was sitting opposite people as the seating made a U-shape around the stage. This direct facing of other audience members for me further added to the impact of the show as this is a play that is completely human and delves into fears shared by many so the seeing of other audience members causes you to consider your humanity and that of others and certain moments such as when Dr Lane says that she can tell when someone has been fixed causes you to look around and consider what would the Lifer/Fixer divide be amongst those watching. The power of this staging and show was further highlighted afterwards as the first question that came up in a conversation I had was whether I would be a Fixer or a Lifer and the reasons why. This question shows how deeply the play resonates with people and why it is so impactful.

Foreverland is a new play by Emma Hemingford which considers the question of if you could live forever, would you? The play takes a deep dive into major social issues such as the divide in available treatments based on someone's ability to afford said treatment, and this is a powerful piece of theatre which delves into the ethics of a possible future. Emma McDonald plays Alice, who at first is anxious at the possibility of treatment, however, as the play develops, we see her hold onto life with unmatched desperation. However, it is this desperation which could be considered to be her downfall as in her pursuit of everlasting life she isolates herself for fear of death, as whilst the treatment can extend your life it cannot prevent death due to illness or injury. This inability of the treatment to prevent all causes of death leads to Alice losing what it truly means to be alive as she no longer wishes to go outside or experience the joys that life has to offer. The transition from Alice being nervous of the treatment to it essentially consuming her is contrasted by the thoughts of her, Jay, who is played by Christopher York. Initially, Jay expresses utter eagerness for treatment, however, as the play develops, we see the mundane, repetitiveness of endless life become overwhelming for him and this is presented through his struggles with mental health which are deeply emotional and moving to watch as an audience member. The staging of this show is a small venue, allowing the audience to be fully immersed in the story, and for me this allowed me to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Valerie Atwi plays Dr Lane and seeing their absolute enthusiasm regarding treatment and progress shines a light on this desire for growth whilst also raising the question, which is asked by Una Byrne who played Annie, of where do we draw the line? This causes the audience to grapple with the dilemma of whether all progress is good progress, or do our fears and desires sometimes drive us towards progress which may initially seem positive but will be a negative result in the end. Una Bryne delivers a moving performance during a major turning point in the play and I was stunned by her talent and the execution of this scene. Young Annie is played by Emily Butler who makes her London debut in this show, her characterisation was perfect for the role and her confidence on stage allowed her to fully develop the role of Young Annie and the scene in which she learns about the life cycle of butterflies is another important turning point of the play as Annie first learns about death and loss. This scene is brilliantly explored and delivered by Emma McDonald, Christopher York and Emily Butler.

This is a thought-provoking and important play which should be seen by all and I hope that his show will continue to pose these questions to more and more audiences as the arguments it considers and the thoughts it triggers are so important for the growth and improvement of society.

Content Warnings:

I could not see any content warnings displayed around the theatre, however, this is a show that was challenging for me. The show contains:

Discussions and references to suicide
Heavily suggested fear of death through the character of Alice
Themes of depression
Themes of loss and bereavement
Flashing Lights

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer