• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides
  • Ed Fringe

The Here and This and Now at the Southwark Playhouse

January 16, 2018 by Tom Bailey Leave a Comment

Review of: The Here and This and Now

Reviewed by: Tom Bailey
Rating:
4
On January 16, 2018
Last modified:January 15, 2018

Summary:

Interesting dystopic vision of our pharmaceutical industry

More Details

In one way, Glenn Waldron’s The Here and This and Now brought by Theatre Royal Plymouth provided a profound, thought-provoking description of what we, collectively, have gotten ourselves into – it approached many contemporary and universal issues that surround the cold and somehow inhuman world of pharmaceutical representatives with incisiveness. Such a background provided a white wall for sketches of four, immeasurably different personas attempting to influence, understand and learn from each other. We meet them briefly, but we can still relate to them – Waldron makes clear that he sees no differentiation between merit and vice.

All four characters had their own way of living “in the moment” but only one seemed entirely comfortable with the direction his life took (ironic given the ending of the piece). Simon Darwin played the slimy Niall to perfection, a man seemingly reconceiled with who he was and the money-driven world he inhabited, playing people and profits with ease and gaining ‘the best life’ as a result. However, what might have at first seemed a caricature villain darkened in the second, dystopian part, when his manipulation and playing of the pharmaceutical game came full circle.

Glenn Waldron has sensed the deep need of the public to become aware of the effortless pharmaceutical manipulation that we are the victims of. The discrepancy between the sacred and profane was a building block of the whole experience. Where does the success lie? Is manipulation by common association (daily joys and struggles, your child’s illness) a sign of cold-heartedness? Is that one person who, unable to be insincere, condemned to be lost? Helen, magnificently played by Becci Gemmell, was a tragic example of one who, because of her candidness and sensitivity, found herself unadaptable to the rigid and gradually more inhuman world that developed towards the end of the piece. Pushed to the limits to find mythical ‘unicorn pills’ to save someone she loves, Gemmell is wonderful as a character just skirting the edges of insanity, providing a wonderful contrast to Darwin’s suddenly vulnerable Niall. These were both ably supported by glorious turns from Andy Rush (Robbie) and Tala Gouveia (Gemma), providing well-needed balance in a piece otherwise characterized by its extremes.

The concepts that Waldron used were familiar to all but it was the overwhelming insincerity and a collective, unspoken agreement to tolerate what becomes a rather ridiculous state of affairs that leaves one pondering after having left the theatre. The plot itself was actually of secondary importance; The Here and This and Now is primarily a great conversation of thoughts and concepts. Although darkly humorous, it soon felt wrong to laugh when one realised that “it is funny because it is true” and that, regrettably, the audience are indeed complicit in this. A child standing on the desolate, post-apocalyptic stage at the end seemed like a whiff of optimism – Bill Paterson narrating the last line implied otherwise. Even if Niall, the pharmaceutical boss, didn’t survive, his profit-driven, exploitative type, will always be among us.

Tom Bailey

Author: Tom Bailey

Tom is a theatre maker and writer based in London, England. He covers news and interviews for Theatre Bubble.
T: Twitter F: Facebook

Filed Under: Review Tagged With: Southwark Playhouse, The Here and This and Now

Join the discussion Cancel reply

NEWS / Living Record Festival of digital arts announces programme

Living Record Festival is a month-long Digital Arts Festival curating and presenting over 40 original pieces from a range of [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Open Bar on A ChristMESS CAROL

Tell us about Open Bar Theatre and also how you came about and how the name came about. OBT: Open Bar [Read More]

NEWS / Ayomide Adegun awarded The Luke Westlake Scholarship 2020

22 year old South Londoner Ayomide Adegun is currently in his 2nd year of the BA Acting course at Royal [Read More]

NEWS / Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels announced

A new play repurposed for online viewing from the creative team behind Scrounger, and the first of the Finborough Theatre’s [Read More]

NEWS / Crimes Against Christmas becomes an audio advent calendar

Typically at this time of year theatre company New Old Friends would have just finished an Autumn tour and be [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • 5 Stage Elements to Consider for a Rousing Theatrical Production
  • Writing the Perfect Press Release
  • Katy Owen: How to Apply to Drama Schools*
  • Complicité's A Minute Too Late at the National Theatre
  • Does Small to Mid Scale Theatre Touring Actually Work?
  • Yasmin Paige on Actually
  • Too High, Too Far, Too Soon- Tristan Bates Theatre
  • Katy Owen: LAMDA Audition (First Round)
  • Living Record Festival of digital arts announces programme
  • Tom Bailey

    Tom Bailey
    Editor

  • January 16th, 2018
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • Facebook1TweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Blue Pie Media

    Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

    Email sent!