Playing the Victim

Synopsis

An unsettling, and shocking play, where philosophy collides with farce. A young man drops out of University and goes to the Police. He's done nothing wrong, he just wants a job. He gets one. Playing the victim in murder reconstructions. Maybe by getting close to death he can manage to cheat his own?

Our Review:

3 September 2003

As with Terrorism, their last play, in Playing the Victim, the Presnyakov brothers have created a world impossible to feel entirely comfortable in, one where you're never quite sure if you're in the realms of dream or reality.

So teaming their writing with Told by an Idiot co-founders Paul Hunter and Hayley Carmichael's particular brand of magical, disconcerting and visual theatre is a stroke of genius by the Royal Court and director Richard Wilson.

Valya's got a job, he plays the victim in crime reconstructions. When not playing dead, he focuses his energy into devising strategies to avoid unpleasant jobs - like washing up - and his ingenious plans always work. If only he put as much effort into living his life.

The process of acting out a crime at the scene seems pretty pointless and silly, as if it's just a way of filling time, and you can't help but wonder whether the brothers are sending up the nature of theatre itself. Every ch...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com (212.211.100.40) - 22 September 2003:

There is only one thing wrong with this play - it's 30 minutes too long. It starts really well, becomes very intriguing and funny, then falls into the trap of 'more is less' and overstays it's welcome. Such a shame, because there really is a good play in there. ...

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