Even by the standards of the Fringe, the Zoo has long since been established for pushing the boundaries of modern theatre and displaying provocative, no-holds-barred action in their intimate setting where nothing is hidden from the audience. This Zoe Hinks creation is no exception, with convicted rapist Raymond and nude model Marianna becoming entrapped in a world that ultimately will not let them go.
The plot is intriguing, cleverly shifting between the passionate and fervent dialogue of the trapped couple to the scientists and snipers surveying their every move, ready to pounce if the prisoner attempts to pounce. Battle lines become clearly drawn, with Marianna admitting “they’re going to get us” if either tries to escape.
Yet for a script which is packed with intrigue and emotion, it raises a few questions that the acting cannot answer. Not least why Marianna, portrayed so confidently and defiantly on stage, is doing the job that she is doing, or quite why she seems to be far more seduced by psychopath Raymond then he is by her.
While Raymond comes across as slightly too articulate, too intelligent and too reserved for the maniac that he is, the bitterness felt by both central characters to their oppressors is remarkably felt. The injustice at their eventual deaths at the hands of the corrupt snipers is also well received by the audience, who are certainly powerfully engaged by the storyline being played out in front of them. But there is a slight meekness about the plot, which takes the gloss of a sensitively handled play.
[Adam Harwood]
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