Queer Thriller Unearths Dark Romance and Unexplained Horrors

The Bush Theatre presents a compelling queer thriller that delves into a dark romance between two complex women. One character is navigating a long-term relationship with a man, while the other explores her sexuality with women. Both protagonists are portrayed as deeply tormented figures. Francesca Amewudah-Rivers delivers an abundant and phenomenally talented performance as Ash, a character described as taut, sexy, and disturbed. Her presence on stage is so powerful that it eclipses other elements of the production. She imbues Eleanor Tindall's script with immense poetic depth. The drama can be categorized as a queer romance, a haunted house story, or a horror narrative, skillfully weaving together these genres. It surprises the audience with dangerous promise, though not all of its intentions are fully realized, leading to some frustration amidst a gripping experience. The set design features a patterned back wall that ripples and rumbles with unexplained sounds, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper." This setting suggests a home possessed by an undefined entity, potentially symbolizing deteriorating mental health. While the play touches on themes of male terror and abusive male characters, including Ash's ex-fiancé Cas and Ivy's increasingly controlling boyfriend Max, the surrealism and metaphors, such as flesh-eating and cutting, are abundant but don't quite coalesce into a clear narrative. The violence in Ash's past remains under-explained. Despite its narrative ambiguities, the production, directed by Emily Aboud, possesses powerful elements. Moments of sexual passion are choreographed with dance-like movement, and the dual narration adds a lyrical quality. The play is a visceral and tender experience, described as a delicious, albeit not entirely filling, 90-minute theatrical meal.