Do Not Go Gentle - 1st December 2011

In these days of cut-backs & recession all new theatre companies should be welcomed with open arms. The Ghost Room was founded by Kathryn Jones and Lisa Osmond back in August and their first venture opened on Thursday in the unlikely surroundings of The Boiler Room, Llandaff.

Do Not Go Gentle reports of mysterious disappearances all over the country. Small villages have been entirely wiped out and there are growing fears that this may reach more populated areas and even cities. This is not the basis for some cosy theatrical experience, no we are ushered through corrugated iron gates into a dark open-air area where the audience are huddled together round warming braziers, a welcome source of heat ( & light) on a cold December evening( thankfully dry).

Immediately you realise this will not be an ordinary evening as you get a tiny feeling of what it would be like to be outcasts with nothing. This feeling of unease is soon increased
as a desperate woman unexectedly charges through the gates imploring us to enter the safety of The Boiler Room.

Here ( as the temperature begins to drop) you encounter the graffiti covered interior as you are welcomed(?) by the survivors of whatever has caused such devastation. This is the premise of the piece and the remainder of the evening revolves around whether they ( & us) will survive becoming victims of the nothingness.

On paper the plot may sound thin but the atmosphere created by the venue, cast and production values was incredibly tense. The sound balance was perfect and the dialogue remained clear while a variety of noises seemingly seeping through the walls. The lighting again was spot on with constantly changing visibility keeping you permanently on edge. Impressively, the most frightening moment was caused by pure silence and darknesss. Absolutely terrifying.

The cast are all exemplary though I must commend Jon Holcroft in the "father figure" role. In what could be tricky surroundings to hear the dialogue his delivery was exemplary and his concern for our wellbeing helped us to feel we were in safe hands.

So,if you are fed up with reality television and want to experience some reality theatre rush to the Boiler Room as it ends on Saturday or look out for further productions from The Ghost Room. A very impressive debut.

It may only have lasted forty-five minutes but that was all our fast-beating hearts could cope with and there was no need to extend our discomfort any further. As one of my friends exclaimed on the way " oh, crikey". Enough said.