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Review: Noose

★★☆☆☆

I left this performance feeling distinctly underwhelmed and plagued by a vague feeling of just having missed the point. On reflection, whilst the overall sparseness of detail and lack of exposition was a deliberate part of the intrigue, it is safe to say that Anthony Maskell’s Noose is simply not the most exciting piece of new writing currently on the Oxford drama scene.

The premise definitely had potential: a chalk and cheese couple living in social isolation whose odd (metaphorical) dance around the eventuality of one of them committing suicide is interrupted by the arrival of a blind, American pilgrim. The cryptic dynamic between Jacques (Ali Porteous) and Seraphine (Misha Pinnington) was at first difficult to pin down, and in the end its exploration was too fleeting to really hook or challenge the audience. A production as short as this one (45 minutes at most) demands sharply crafted interaction between its central characters and this unfortunately missed the mark.

That said, both Porteous and Pinnington embodied their characters convincingly – Jacque’s erratic restlessness contrasted effectually with Seraphine’s cold stillness – although neither role offered the opportunity for particularly outstanding performance. The blind pilgrim (Josh Dolphin) who entered their world in a seemingly innocuous fashion but whose presence within it became increasingly sinister, proved to be a crucial plot device.  The drama that unfolded in the last 15 minutes was at points quite compelling and some clever staging was used in order to achieve this – for example the scene that took place in total darkness was ironically one of the most engaging. Other decisions were questionable: Pinnington interacting with her back to the audience for several minutes was somewhat frustrating and inhibited the expression of her character’s growing unease.

The nature of the play’s resolution was clear from the start, although the twist at the very end might surprise you. So is Noose worth an hour of your evening? Perhaps. If you’re in the mood for something short and a bit obscure then it’s worth considering; if however you’re searching for slightly weightier drama that involves greater investment then this is one to avoid. 

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