REVIEW: THE DROUGHT by Nina Atesh at The King’s Head Theatre 21-24 September 2022

‘The Drought succeeds in putting dread into every line’ ★★★★

A bug-eyed, slow-moving captain (Andrew Callaghan) of a British navy ship enters with his pistol in hand. He is tended by his weary steward, Garson (Jack Flammiger). Both look as if they haven’t slept in weeks. Garson hints at taking the leftenant’s button to complete the Captain’s uniform, to which the Captain makes a dry comment about the leftenant no longer needing it. And so we are drawn into an intriguing and spooky tale about a grounded ship and missing crew.

Within moments, an unexpected visitor (Caleb O’Brien) arrives with his own intentions and motivations and soon the reason for the grounded ship and their circumstances start to become clear. Or do they?

All three characters embodied their roles with eerie passion. The Captain’s haunted expression looks like one possessed, the steward’s commitment to his job like a dead man walking, and the visitor with his serpent-like glances and questionable purpose. One cannot unsee these spooky characters. With makeup that made them look eviscerated and dehydrated (credit to the talented Helena Collins O’Connor), their dialogue was languorous, delusional, alarming.

A large, rounded glass jug houses that which is in short supply: water. Fresh water. There is mention of finishing off the alcohol that was in copious supply, but the water is not touched; it is revered. The sound of the wind throughout evokes a constant dread of what is outside the confined space of the vessel.

Though the narrative was at times puzzling to decipher, it comes together in retrospect. Few plays succeed to truly frighten. The Drought succeeds in putting dread into every line. Haunting and enigmatic, The Drought supplies the fuel for real fear of what happens when we actually run out of water.

THE DROUGHT by Nina Atesh

The King’s Theatre

21 – 24 Sept 2022

The Old Red Lion

1 – 4 November 2022

Box Office: https://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/TheDrought.htlm

Performed by Andrew Callaghan, Jack Flammiger, Caleb O’Brien

Written by Nina Atesh

Directed by Alex McCarthy

Stage Manager: Chloe Cattin

Set Design & Costume: Julia Sullivan

Marketing & PR: Helena Collins O’Connor

Poster design & artwork by Kei-Ella Loewe

Produced by Pither Productions

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew