Passion
Etcetera Theatre
3rd March 2014

★★★★☆

If you can't beat them, join them. Rather than fight with the sounds of a crowd having a good time downstairs, theatre company Tidy Carnage blast out trance music in the Etcetera, the loud undulating tracks claiming the small black box as their own, and ensuring there are no distractions from the outside world. For one hour, it's all about the music.

As Edan (Helen Cuinn) bottles water, trowels on the war paint - helpfully emphasising her expressions during the show - and grins almost maniacally, refusing to stop dancing for even a few moments, it's clear that something has pushed her past the point of caring. Some very difficult emotions are obviously bubbling just below the surface. Having recently returned from active service abroad, Edan is fighting with her demons, and is driven to lose herself in the noise and euphoria of a club - with a little chemical encouragement, naturally.

The production is short on dialogue, but the words that are used are chosen carefully for maximum impact. Playwright Gill Kirk uses repetition to underline Edan's deteriorating state of mind, and to break down any illusions spun by the lone clubber. There are a few moments where Edan leans into the audience as other ravers, yet doesn't deviate from her script - in a fringe venue like the Etcetera, allowing Cuinn some room to ad-lib and further encourage the audience into participation would have worked well.

The deliberate gaps in speech are filled in by Allie Butler with plenty of movement, with Cuinn frequently dancing like no one is watching. A live DJ set by Joshua Payne is a nice touch, which adds authenticity to the very conceptual piece. Seeing the DJ on the floor spinning his tunes makes us feel more connected to the show than a prerecorded track from the tech box ever would, it does bring us all into the moment.

Butler mingles the sound of war with Payne's set, and uses glow sticks and lighting to create some very hypnotic and striking images. Passion is certainly more visual than anything we've seen recently, it won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's intelligent and crafted well. The water's purifying, but puts anyone of a certain age in mind of the tragedy of Leah Betts - and this comes full circle later. It also sits nicely with the oft-repeated idea of clubbing as a religion, spirituality and rebirth. Even if it's a phoenix rising from the flames.

Although the lack of speech could result in Glaswegian Edan feeling underdeveloped, the amount of sincerity and sympathy you feel is striking. It's a testament to Cuinn that she can bring so much from so little, lurching from an initial bravado that makes you question her gender to a stark vulnerability.

Invariably, this isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea and it is a slow burner. However, when Passion does get started, it's a fiery affair.

Passion was performed on 3rd March 2014 at the Etcetera Theatre, as part of the Women in Theatre festival. It then ran at The Vaults from 4th to 8th March 2014.

Nearest tube station: Camden Town (Northern)