Gameplay, presented at the Pleasance Dome by Carmen Collective in association with Pleasance and Camden People’s Theatre, arrives with high expectations following the company’s acclaimed previous Fringe offering, Lessons on Revolution.
Gameplay is aptly billed as an ‘audio-described myth for the end times’. The production strips theatricality down to its essentials: a performer reading into a microphone beside a musician immersed in wires, a laptop, instruments, and soundboards. We are told that this show will not rely on visual imagery; instead, it will use audio description, and these descriptions are detailed and lengthy but strangely fascinating. It’s a truly accessible show that refuses to prioritise sight over other senses.
Sam Rees serves as narrator, delivering a charismatic performance. Perhaps they adopt a persona, but it feels as if they are speaking as themselves. Their mastery of pause, pace and the odd sarcastic eyebrow lift keeps us gripped despite the absence of usual theatrical effects. Equal credit belongs to AJ Turner, whose live soundscape and music are integral to the production. Turner’s audio work enhances and magnifies the narrative, culminating in an exquisite musical finale featuring an electronically enhanced violin. It’s one of the highlights of the show.
We are reminded that our last Prime Minister warned us that this country is on a ‘war footing’ and, throughout Gameplay, there are questions about how we navigate a world where destruction and upheaval feel imminent. This existential dread permeates the production whilst exploring the divide between reality and theatre. It’s almost like a TEDx Talk, though Rees’ skill and Turner’s compositions soften the philosophy and meta-analysis. This is theatre for thinking people.
Initially, I thought I wasn’t going to like the show. It felt too odd, unexpected and stripped back, but as the hour went on I was steadily pulled into its complex web of ideas and reflections on the power of human imagination. We are told early on that we may not remember the specifics of this show in a year, only how it made us feel. I know that I will hold on to the memory of this ‘performance experiment’, exhilarated by the music and ideas thrown at me.
Gameplay is one of those ‘Marmite’ shows. You’ll either love it or hate it, but it will definitely make you think.
Listings and ticket information can be found hereÂ
