Review by Faye Ashton
Saturday night at the Thurrock Arts Festival was not for the faint hearted. ‘Voices’, an original play by Sue Ospreay was a tale of a schizophrenic woman who wanted revenge – and was willing to kill to get it.
Set in a disused warehouse, this play had all the elements that Lightnin’ have won previous awards for. The set was imposing, the lighting and sound atmospheric and the costume and make-up innovative. It is no wonder they won the awards for Best Stage Presentation and Best Lighting.
The cast of 3 main female characters dealt with the script well, though sometimes could not be heard above the music – a pity as this left some people confused with the storyline. However, their acting skills were tested with these three challenging roles and they all coped well. Jemma Georgiou certainly deserved the ‘Best Youth Performance’ with her sensitive yet feisty approach to the part.
Recognition must be given to the young chorus actors, who played the voices in the heads of these women. Their movement, facial expressions and gestures added to the tension this play needed. Their voice work was criticized by the adjudicator for being ‘too shouty’ and at times it did need more rhythm. However, their success was in showing the inner feelings that at times people are too scared to confront.
In summary it was a good first attempt at thriller writing for Sue. Her unique style is always a talking point and I look forward to seeing next year’s work.
