Review: DEATH SUITS YOU, VAULT Festival
From the point of hearing about this production, ideas sprung to mind about the brave and impressive creative minds who take on the retelling of a well-known story, challenging beliefs, introducing their own messages. Where retellings of fairy tales go to empowering places, giving princesses more power and independence, this production teases a version of ‘death’ with more humanity, perhaps more relatability, that somehow has the ability to open our eyes to darker places.
All this was swirling around in our minds right up until the lights filled the room and ‘death’ stepped forward to introduce himself. However, it can all be summarised in these simple words, our expectations for the night: real, eye opening, thought provoking, illuminating, creative, imaginative. It was everything expected and more.
As part of Vault Festival, a limited run of this brilliant show by Sam Hooper and Robert Tripolino will continue at The Vaults, ending on 10 February. The modern, urban, artistic feel of the venue emphasises a feeling of inspiration and comfort at the fact that people are able to speak through their choice of art. In many ways, Death Suits You is a demonstration and celebration of live theatre as a storytelling tool.
The show manages to take a well-known name and present it in a new unexpected, yet palatable, way. It is truly not death as you know him but, as he begins to explain, maybe what we think we know is wrong. You probably pictured, as we did, a dark, intimidating stage and a figure donning the scythe, the black cloak and perhaps some horrific prosthetic makeup revealed to you when he leans threateningly towards you and his face is properly illuminated by stage light for the first time. In fact, the persona you are greeted with very much radiates the vibes of a teacher giving a presentation, to unexpected but marvellous effect.
The setting is achieved with only a few props. Simple, safe, comfortable. Whilst the room is capable of holding more, the performance uses a select space. Controlled. Simple yet powerful lighting highlights the star and an ever so slightly off centre placement emphasises space to move, vent, express. Basically, the set design understands that less is more. The use of single spotlights to create dramatic, powerful snapshots proves this. Use of live music helps to build tension and emotion. Lighting is used to punctuate the performance, emphasising beginnings and endings with the help of a few subtle uses of colour. Absolutely a show that does a lot with a little. The things it achieves as a piece are incredible.
Given the subtle nature of the staging and the singular nature of the cast, every detail of characterisation is important to bring this story to life. His eye line makes up for characters whose stories are told but who are not physically presented. We watch as he is able to see memories invisible to us. His reactions to the empty space begin to create the illusion of movement around him. He speaks with a natural, conversational tone, demonstrating, teaching.
Hooper’s performance commands and fills the space. He exhibits a great singing voice with incredible tone, especially at the top of his register. His ability to showcase beautiful emotion, eyes brimming with tears, and the surprising level of sympathy and innocence he manages to bring to the stage alongside his capacity for explosive anger makes for an interesting reimagining of the character.
Timing truly brings everything together in this production. The narrative is driven by music, combined with body language and lighting, using all kinds of storytelling and artistic expression. The sprinkled modern dance numbers, musical numbers, spoken word and speeches of such poetic control in speed and rhythm, that we might compare them to soliloquies, just goes to show the depth of talent and the beauty you can find in death.
The original songbook performed by Hooper allows him to take on the voices of the departed characters we can’t see, forming emotional moments of clarity in perspective to then snap back into character in impressive immediate succession. The fluidity he is able to create, in movement and in navigation of speech, is incredible. He flips between perspectives with ease, representing entire lifetimes before our eyes. We are taken in and out of tales with no signs of whiplash, instead the experience feels guided and smooth, moving through waves of fluidity and tension. Careful choice of words, clearly delivered, offer subtle representation of the darkness creeping from the outside to the inside of a person, with demonstration of ‘death’’s influence in their mind at times breaking through.
Humour is our protection here. The term ‘black comedy’ is aptly used as the power of funny acts as a comfort as we go deeper. Humour is cleverly introduced through aspects of familiarity and relatability as well as from the characters habit for attention to detail, offering comical throw away comments and tangents that I can only call honest comedy. As the play progresses it becomes more and more real to you as it builds to an impactful climax in which you are faced with some things to think about, and still humour remains to keep us safe.
This brilliant theatrical performance is the product of exceptional writing from individuals who are clearly at the top of their game. All the heartbreaking, difficult truths of life, able to be explored in one place with clear imagery, emotion and control, ending with a sucker punch that makes it all make sense and makes you so glad it is a play that exists.
**** Five stars
Reviewed by: Louisa Clarke
Death Suits You plays at the VAULT Festival until 10 February, with further information here.