Three young descendants of Earth’s billionaires stuck in the east wing of a space station – what could go wrong? Directed by Matt Bostock, the world premiere production, ‘Anomalies’ is showcased with the inaugural New Works Festival at The Old Fitz Theatre. Bostock and playwright, Jordyn Fulcher bring existentialism and jarring questions of humanity to the audience as we watch three young teenagers come face-to-face with the wrongdoings of their ancestors.

 

Caught in a revenge plot for their ancestors’ crimes, the teenagers wake up in a daze as they find themselves abandoned in the drawing room of the spaceship they live on – cut off from the rest of the ship. Only ever raised on the ship surrounded by each other, the audience soon figures out the tension between each of the characters, and especially as stakes rise and they start to tackle their beliefs of humanity and their contradictions of justice and duty. 

 

The tension found between Harold Phipps and Giani Fenech’s characters was palpable from the get-go. What is thought to just be light-hearted tension at first further unravels the suppressed love and attraction they have been holding for each other their entire lives. We watch them battle with their ideas of what love is, and whether they can even feel it in the first place considering the environment and people who raised them. The relationship and character arc for each character was insightful, particularly Rhiaan Marquez’s character; not just the dumb girl she has been made out to be – you see her emotional intelligence and her longing for humanity play out as a key part of the piece. 

 

The set design and use of lighting was one of the key highlights – shown from the beginning of the piece with the innovative use of lighting and design for the spaceship computer system, ‘T’ – the virtual caretaker of the children that enthrals the audience the whole way through. One of my favourite uses of lighting design was the visualisation of the collapse and breaking down of the spaceship. It was magic how quickly you become utterly engulfed in the madness of the spaceship losing oxygen and start to feel as though you are truly watching this spaceship blow up. Ultimately, it was harrowing observing each character come to their questions of humanity whilst you watch their bond for each other strengthen as they come together in their last moments. It was a feeling that stuck with me for the rest of the night. 

 

Playwright, Jordyn Fulcher embraces diverse voices and encourages it in this impactful piece of theatre. Although at times it felt as though the dialogue needed a bit more direction, ‘Anomalies’ was an interesting and humanising watch that will leave you with your own questions of humanity.

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Anomalies was performed in Old Fitz Theatre's New Work Festival 2024 September 20- October 5.