Derek Lamb Green Group 10-21-13

Neverwhere Review

Neverwhere is a theatrical adaptation of Neil Gaimans TV miniseries and novel. The play is adapted for the stage by Robert Kauzlaric and is shown at the Rorschach Theatre part of the !tlas "erforming !rts centre. This play is about the people that fall through the crac#s of society and the contrast between them in $%ondon &elow' and the middle(upper class fol# in $%ondon !bove'.

The play opens with a young girl named )oor *+mma ,ac#son- being chased through an underground city she is in.ured and discovered by a business man Richard /ayhew *)aniel 0orey-. /ayhew ta#es pity on the girl and ta#es her bac# to his flat. ! series of mysterious events follow. /ayhew is visited by two assassins 0roup *0olin 1mith- and Vandemar *Ryan Tumulty- and discovers %ondon &elow. %ondon &elow is the magical underworld beneath %ondon that the common fol# are to busy to stop and notice. /ayhew is entangled in a series of events that lead him through this new world e2posing him to an entirely new side of life one that he had never stopped to notice before. 3e travels with the comical /ar4uis de 0arabas *Grady 5eatherford- and the mysterious 3unter *,ennifer Knight- discovering conspiracy and murder plots eventually confronting mythical creatures and an !ngel *0am /agee- becoming enlightened and discovering his own courage. The performance ends with /ayhew returning to the overworld and discovering that is incredibly boring and dull compared with the forgotten life he has .ust left.

The acting in this play is phenomenal with a small but talented cast ma#ing the play very entertaining. ,ac#son and 0orey are fantastic as the protagonists and

Derek Lamb Green Group 10-21-13 their chemistry with each other is obvious and well developed throughout the
performance. The audience is easily able to observe how badly /ayhew wants to return to his normal life and how )oor grows increasingly attached to him. 1mith and Tumulty are convincing villains who portray the methodical cruelty of assassins perfectly. The comic character is the swashbuc#ling /ar4uis de 0arabas who conducts perfect relationships with both the sides as the audience struggles to decide whom he wor#s for. 6t is his off(hand comments such as $things to see people to do' that bring the comedic element into what would otherwise be a rather depressing story.

3owever the highlight of the play is the set. 1et design is done by )avid 0. Ghatan. The theatre is a circle with the audience seated in two half circles facing each other in the center of the room. The action ta#es place all around the audience on a series of catwal#s and platforms situated around the theatre in the middle of the room and even in some crannies around the theatre representing various allies. The decoration is minimal a column here some flyers there but positioned in such a way that it brings the play into a realistic crowded tube(station feel. %ighting done by 0ory Ryan 7ran# contributes massively helping to change setting with some scenes being conducted in total dar#ness. The constant ambient sound effects such as dripping ma#e the play seem alive and never(ending reality.

)irecting by ,enny /c0onnell 7redric# is superb with action ta#ing place in logically positioned and distributed locations. !s the stage is so vast characters are allowed to constantly move and scenes change to over half a dozen locations throughout the theatre. 7redric# positions characters on different levels some on the

Derek Lamb Green Group 10-21-13 main floor and some on ledges to increase drama and closer together in more tense
scenes. This varied positioning ma#ing the play seem less staged and more real contributing to the overall en.oyment.

Neverwhere is a simply phenomenal production. The concept and story is beautifully designed by Gaiman and fantastically adapted by Kauzlaric. The actors contribute massively with fantastic performances by all. The set design and directing offer a new and intriguing play style paying off by ma#ing the performance seem much more realistic and alive. There are no dull moments and everything is constantly realistic causing Neverwhere to be a wonderfully engaging and realistic story.