Reviews

Bones

Bones is a harrowing monologue about the struggles of Mark, a 19-year-old with a challenging background. It’s performed with some skill by Joe Doherty, but the character lacks depth.

The problem with Bones is that it doesn’t really say anything. It doesn’t have a clear progression, or any definite meaning. It’s very distressing and dark, but doesn’t give the audience a message to take away.

There is some nice imagery in the piece, and a couple of very effective speeches; Doherty’s performance isn’t by any means bad, but it occasionally feels one-dimensional. His characterisation doesn’t quite carry the piece or captivate the audience enough for Bones to generate any sort of emotional response.

The projections and sounds seem to detract further from the performance, and some stilted direction significantly limits Doherty’s flow, making the plot feel disjointed. Ultimately, a show with a promising premise fails to engage.

– Chris Wheeler