While They Were Waiting marks acclaimed actor Gary Wilmot’s playwriting debut, as he stars in this absurd two-hander alongside Steve Furst.
Wilmot’s play circles around a well-known pastime: waiting. I was expecting it to bring a refreshing twist on plays like Beckett’s Waiting For Godot, bringing an unlikely pairing together in an absurd and delightful liminal space. And indeed an unlikely pairing they are. Both men wait outside a big yellow door in the middle of a desert, both seemingly waiting for someone to emerge from it. Steve Furst brings to life Mulberry, a gentleman who loves waiting whereas Gary Wilmot plays the impatient and restless Bix. The pair are entertaining and clearly seasoned actors, delivering well-paced, sharp dialogue. Wilmot’s natural charm shines through as Bix, as he continually pushes Mulberry’s buttons. Furst is a great foil to this. Mulberry is deft and curt, oftentimes shutting down the many advances with overexaggerated rage.
While I enjoyed the performances, unfortunately the story did not have enough meaningful stakes for me to be thoroughly engaged. I had many questions about why they were waiting, and honestly would have been quite content if they were not answered. The story that could have sat in the discomfort of not knowing why, and simply seeing how they passed their time. Instead, Wilmot rushes towards a conclusion that, in my opinion, slightly dampens the relationship built across the rest of the piece.
The actual dialogue is quite intelligent, philosophical and sometimes emotional – with each conversation ricocheting between topics, and deconstructing how we use language. It does feel very Beckett-inspired, even including nods towards the audience and fourth wall, performing as much to each other as to us.
Sydney Stevenson’s direction is well-paced, knowing exactly when to switch from quick-witted philosophy to a slower sense of sentimentality. I also appreciated that, even sitting on the sidelines of the thrust stage, Stevenson stages the piece so we are never distanced from the action.
The set design (by Hannah Danson) consisted of a textured and cracked desert floor, an ornate bench, crates with a record player and a large yellow door protruding across centre stage. I found the design quite charming and absurd, creating a childlike, Wes Anderson-esque environment for the performers to play in. Certainly very good production value for a relatively small fringe theatre.
The sound design (by Issac Bernier-Doyle) has a classic retro feel, with some diegetic music being ‘played’ by Bix on an old record player. The quality of sound highlights the vintage, beachy colour palette of the set.
The lighting design (by Simon Jackson) is subtle but effective. I particularly enjoyed how it highlighted the cloud setpieces as the scene slowly faded from day, to sunset, to night. An audience member behind me verbally exclaimed at the fairy light ‘stars’ that appeared in the latter. The production design and technical stylings were gorgeous and simple, and a highlight for me.
Overall, the production was very well performed, directed and designed, however I think the plot needs more development, as it tends to feel slightly predictable and repetitive. If Wilmot were to ever revise the production, I would enjoy seeing a version that leans further into the absurd comedy and doesn’t strive so hard to give definitive answers.
While They Were Waiting runs at Upstairs at the Gatehouse until March 22.
Photo: Simon Jackson
JADAR 