REVIEW: THE WATCH by Isabella Waldron at GLITCH until 9 June 2025

‘a warm, witty show about love, insomnia, and the pursuit of normality’ ★★★★

There’s a girl who sells caffeine — coffee, to be precise. She has insomnia. One day, her watch breaks. She goes to have it fixed and falls in love with the watch fixer, who, it turns out, follows a completely different sleeping pattern.

This witty and warm story by Isabella Waldron is a clever analogy for life in modern society - the frenzy of constant wakefulness and the sense that our time is somehow broken. In her search to “fix” what it means to be “on time,” the watch fixer ironically turns to the Victorian concept of biphasic sleep, suggesting a return to the past in order to rediscover a personal sense of normality. Hannah, our bouncy, high-caffeinated protagonist, panics and runs - until she comes to embrace the idea that differences are okay. Ironically, that’s exactly what she used to tell her mother to help her understand her sexual identity.

Ciana Howlin, who plays Hannah, exudes vibrant energy, while Kate Crisp, as Zoe, radiates calm serenity. Their chemistry makes the show all the more believable and engaging. The clever use of signage and LED lights on the set’s pillars is both inventive and effective, and Merel Wheldon’s direction is clear and full of compassion.

The Watch is a warm, witty show about love, insomnia, and the pursuit of normality in a disjointed world. Runs until the 9th of June.



The Watch at The Glitch, SE1 7AE

Until 9 June 2025

BOX OFFICE https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vaultcreativearts/1617333?

CAST

Ciana Howlin (Hannah)

Kate Crisp (Zoe)