From the moment one steps into the Playhouse East Theatre to see a large dog carrier, it becomes abundantly clear that a truly unconventional experience is to follow.
Bailey Edwards both writes and stars in Play Dead, a thoroughly engaging and at times disturbingly vulnerable revenge piece. Edwards plays the rabidly broken-hearted Echo, who goes to darkly comedic lengths to avoid coming to terms with a recent break-up.
Many ingredients make for a gripping tale here. Edwards’ script is chaotic, yet profound; it presents a complex character who is somehow both painfully honest yet wholly unreliable. As we peel back more layers from Echo’s already unravelling psyche, Edwards cleverly drip-feeds his audience with musings and anecdotes that expose the character’s self-delusions and reveal the destructive cycles they find themselves in.
At the very heart of Play Dead is, of course, Edwards’ role as Echo. Whether it’s interacting with the Playhouse East audience, tearing through grapefruit at an alarming rate, or manic fits of dancing, Edwards’ charisma is only matched by his commitment to the role. The actor-writer delivers a powerhouse performance, seamlessly incorporating props, delivering increasingly complex soliloquies, and throwing themselves into the role’s physicality. With the help of Annalisa Plumb in a smaller role, Edwards wrings every ounce of emotion possible out of the script, meaning that by the time the show ended, the audience seemed almost stunned into silence.
Despite the strength of the more emotional moments and the performance, the only aspect that slightly lets the production down is its pacing. It’s something of a double-edged sword; Echo’s volatility is part of what makes them so compelling, but it also means that they end up going down avenues that either are not wholly dramatically fruitful or are less coherent than the rest of the production. The dialogue is filled to the brim with tragic wit, and Edwards is skilled at holding the audience’s attention, but the effectiveness of the production as a whole is dulled by a lack of consistency.
All in all, Play Dead is definitely a show worth watching. The play is an unflinching exploration of the uglier side of heartbreak, and Edwards’ dedication to the role is more than enough to keep the Playhouse East audience on their toes.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
