PERFORMANCE REVIEW: Damages

Damages
Old Red Lion Theatre, Angel

Its no new thing to say that newspapers are not what they used to be. At one time Fleet Street was the bringer of truth, the voice of reason offering us an insight into news stories taking place around the globe - an insight that would at once inform and educate us. Now, certain papers appear content with simply reporting the fact that Lily Allen managed to draw breath today. Gone is the interest in world leaders and their political decision-making, in are the tales of drug abuse, love spats and knicker flashing.

Its this change of agenda - and the precarious relationship between fame hungry celebrities and the muck-racking hacks that can make or break their fledgling career - that provides the centre piece for Damages, Lucid Muse's revival of Steve Thompson's 2004 play about the world of tabloid journalism and the lives that it can affect, calling for the “end of cheese and sleaze.” Set in real time, the play follows the final hours before a paper is due to go to press and unleash on its reading public a photograph of a children’s presenter caught topless with a man who happens to not be her husband. What initially appears to be a simple question of invasion of privacy, takes a much darker turn as personal feelings and potential honey traps come into play.

The humid July evening outside makes the small space of the Old Red Lion theatre both stuffy and claustrophobic enhancing the tense action on stage beautifully. As the print deadline draws ever closer, you too feel the sweat pricking the back of your neck, your palms beginning to clam up and the sense of panic that’s doing the rounds. This feeling is also increased by the raised voices of the cast as they thrash out their personal and professional differences. It’s a cast that is very apt at handling the sparring dialogue and quick witted comebacks, in particular the charming young whiz-kid Bas, Simeon Perlin, and his Ice Queen ex-girlfriend Abigail, played with precision by Perlin’s Lucid Muse co-founder Joanna Bell.

The only problem with this production is the question of relevance. A lot has happened in the five years since this was first performed at the Bush Theatre – papers have become more shocking, we have more access to celebs and it seems rather unlikely that there would be any question about running a topless shot of a golden girl anymore. With a set that looks as though it is a left over from Channel 4’s Drop The Dead Donkey, it has the feeling of being a bit out of date, especially given the media satires now available to us such as In The Loop and Newswipe, who both push the issue so much further.

A really enjoyable performance, its definitely worth watching. However, it is questionable that its going to cause stop anyone digesting the next bit of celeb gossip the minute they leave the theatre.

Ruby Green

Damages runs until July 25th