STORMING!, Playground Theatre Review
Chris Baritt, Edmund Sage-Green and Bu Kunene. Photo by Helena Hipólito
Written by Eleanor
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
STORMING! is a new play centred around the incarceration of Russell Weston (played by Chris Barritt). Russell, or Rusty, was a paranoid schizophrenic who was arrested for murdering two officers when he stormed the US Capitol building in 1998. Before standing trial, Russell had to be deemed competent to do so. The play focuses on two interactions Russell had with a psychiatrist (played by Edmund Sage-Green) over two years: in one they are accompanied by Russell’s delusion and in the other by a second lawyer, Annie (both played by Bu Kunene).
The whole play takes place in a single interrogation room with only the three characters. There are some key lighting changes and use of projection, but the main focus is on the interactions within this small group.
This new work was written by Gail Louw and is being debuted as part of the Playground Theatre’s ‘Gail Louw Season.’ I found STORMING! to be a very interesting play with an engaging premise. The first act was very strong, but I felt the narrative strayed a little in the second.
In the first act of STORMING! the audience is witness to an extended dialogue between Russell and the psychiatrist upon their first meeting. They take time to discuss Rusty’s views of the world, his views of himself, the actions which led him to the Capitol and whether the incident could have been avoided. But the key question which underpins this conversation is whether Russell should be forced to take the medication which will improve his mental state. I particularly liked how the play opened with real news footage of the event, which quickly and succinctly let the audience know where they were and perfectly framed the opening scene. I also enjoyed the moments where Russell would pick up on the psychiatrist’s techniques to question him and would call them out, showing a different side of the character. The play's captivating storyline and compelling characters kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire act. But as this show is essentially just three characters in one room, I do think you would already need to have interest in subject matter of this kind in order to remain engaged.
Unfortunately, I did find the second act of STORMING! to be a bit weaker. The narrative here would have been more interesting to me if they had focused on the legal dilemmas at play, making you feel torn as to how Russell should now be treated, rather than going on more elongated tangents. Although the whole play was conversational in style, I found myself less interested in the points being argued here. I also felt that they blurred the line between reality and fiction too much, to the point that it impacted my enjoyment of the piece overall. But I did appreciate how the show ended with more news footage, but this time from the more recent Capitol storming of 2021.
Chris Barritt as Russell was very good in the role. He was able to seamlessly switch between talking to the other characters or addressing his delusion, and also balanced Russell’s switches between incapable and capable very well. Barritt’s physicality was noteworthy; whether standing or pacing the room, his movement felt authentic to the character rather than just a dramatic choice to make full use of the set. Edmund Sage-Green as the psychiatrist acted as the perfect tool to move the plot along, with his more naturalistic performance contrasting well with Russell’s psychosis. I only wish the additional hair and makeup used in the second half was applied a little more realistically. This trio is rounded off by Bu Kunene. I really enjoyed how her character of ‘the woman’ was introduced, leaving the audience unsure as to who could see her. Kunene’s ability to seamlessly transition from sitting quietly in the corner to explosive displays of rage brilliantly mirrored the erratic nature of the illness she embodied. I would have liked to have seen a bit more physicality in the character, to move around a bit more and to emote even when she was not speaking, but I can see how this could distract from the narrative. Her performance as a second lawyer was a welcome addition to the play and I really like how distinct she made these two roles.
Overall, STORMING! offers a compelling examination of mental illness and justice. The story is inherently interesting and the characters are well written. I was able to get a real sense of each character’s motivations and was able to empathise with them. But while the first act excels in tension and dialogue, the second act loses some momentum and goes astray in places. But for anyone who is interested in psychology, legal or historical topics I would recommend a viewing.
STORMING! is playing at The Playground Theatre from the 28th March 2024 until the 6th April 2024.