★★★★☆
Rock, Paper, Scissors at The Hope Theatre is a thought-provoking exploration of human relationships, vulnerability, and the choices we make.
Written and directed by Chess Hayden, this intimate production takes place in a minimalist set—a dimly lit room with a couch and a wardrobe.
The theatre sits atop Islington’s Hope & Anchor, and the two rows of seats are level with the actors, making it an up-close-and-personal experience for both the cast and its captive audience.
The dark comedy revolves around flatmates Lucy (Emma Lo) and Dylan (Jimmy Roberts) and the fallout of manslaughter. The pair have accidentally killed Lucy’s ex-boyfriend.
The comedy of errors shows the pair grappling with the life-changing accident as they dig themselves into a hole and make wrong turn upon wrong turn.
The duo resorts to a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide their fate and that of Lucy’s dead ex. They absolve themselves of accountability by delegating a monumental decision to a chance-based game.
Dylan’s ex-girlfriend, Jemma (Megan Cooper), gets caught up in the saga when she shows up at the flat, derailing Lucy and Dylan’s already erratic problem-solving.
The show skillfully blends slapstick humor and farce. It also serves as a thought-provoking commentary on the temptation of removing accountability. If a game makes decisions for you, can you truly claim them as your own?
This dynamic production will get you questioning human nature and the intricacies of our individual moral compass. “What would I do in this situation?”
The duo, whose chemistry keeps you engaged in their entangled fate, leaves the audience on a cliffhanger as they engage in one more game of rock, paper, scissors to play God and determine Jemma’s destiny.
Rock, Paper, Scissors runs at The Hope Theatre until May 11.
Photo: Stone Fox Productions
JADAR 