Video transcript: You know, when you’re watching a play, and the auditorium is silent.
Nobody’s shuffling around, there’s no noise whatsoever, and you can just tell that everybody is utterly gripped.
Well, that was what it was like watching Mass at the Donmar Warehouse for the entire hour and 45 minutes.
This is an extraordinary play, a very powerful play, a gripping play.
And it’s remarkable for a lot of reasons, not least that it’s a very static play in that for a large portion of it, you have two couples played by Adeel Akhtar, Lyndsey, Marshal, Monica Dolan and Paul Hilton, who are just sat at a table, talking, having a conversation.
There’s none of that direction of getting them to move around and swap places, which can sometimes be really irritating and just get in the way.
It focuses the attention purely on what they’re saying. They’re having a really difficult conversation.
I’m not going to say any more about it. You probably get a sense of what it’s about from the marketing material, if you want.
And it’s just not a master class in performance, because they are sat, and they are talking and reacting to each other, and it’s just incredible to watch.
I got very emotional watching. It’s not an easy watch, and I could hear a few sniffs and stuff around me.
So I know I wasn’t the only one, but it’s getting a big fat five stars from me.
I thought it was a remarkable piece of theatre, very powerful. So, yeah, definitely recommend.
Post video edit: If you are booking and worried about the view, given that the actors are sitting for most of the play, the stage has a very slow revolve, so the perspective gradually changes.
Mass, Donmar Warehouse
Written by Fran Kranz
Directed by Carrie Cracknell
Starring: Adeel Akhtar, Monica Dolan, Paul Hilton and Lyndsey Marshal
Running time 1 hour and 45 minutes, no interval.
Booking until 6 Jun, for more information and to buy tickets, visit the Donmar Warehouse website.
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