Review: The Catastrophist, Marin Theatre Company & Round House Theatre

There has never been a more appropriate time for a piece of cinematic theatre on a “virus hunter” than now, when the world is in the midst of a global pandemic.  

The Catastrophist is a new commission by Marin Theatre Company and Round House Theatre, based on the life and work of award-winning virologist, Dr Nathan Wolfe. This is the man who tracked viruses and proposed pandemic insurance years ago; something which regrettably didn’t come to fruition pre-Covid. This one-hander is both a deeply personal and professional account, written by America’s most produced playwright and Wolfe’s wife of a decade, Lauren Gunderson.

Filmed onstage at Marin’s Boyer Theatre and directed expertly by the company’s Artistic Director Jasson Minadakis, William De Meritt takes on the role of one of the world’s most important scientific thinkers in this profoundly exposing piece of theatre. Every emotion and thought process is captured by the multiple camera set-up around the space, combining varying camera angles and a mix of close-up and wide shots to dramatic effect.  

This piece has been made specifically for a digital audience and whilst it is clear that it would make a powerful live performance, it makes an exceptional virtual one on screen. De Meritt is mesmerising from the outset and manages to sustain this for the show’s duration. He plays a passionate scientist and an equally passionate family man, which works hand in hand throughout. His tone and storytelling ability would also make The Catastrophist a great fit as an audio play.  

There are a large number of scenes in the 80-minute play, which are separated by subject matter as opposed to set changes and other progressive means. Gunderson strikes the perfect balance between science and reality, and occasionally merges the two when talking about Wolfe’s own biology. It is also incredibly interesting how Gunderson features within the text as if she is puppeteering him throughout the piece and he almost fights against his own truth in part.

There is a real irony in the piece as well, predicting pandemics with an aim of saving lives in one hand but losing close family, friends and almost himself in the other. Wolfe talks about the men in his family dying from heart disease at around his age at the time of the play and his own brush with mortality.

In the confines of the rectangles marked out on the empty stage, he is confident and secure but when he breaks out of this designated space to talk about the death of his father and the subsequent birth of his son, he suddenly becomes fragile and emotional. He uses a diving analogy here, which acts as an effective coping mechanism for him and an impactful theatrical tool. This contrast in mental state makes it a real, affecting, human story and an important one at that.

A play for now, a play for yesterday, a play for tomorrow. 

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Jenny Ell

The Catastrophist is available to stream now until 28 February here.