Anyone who has ever worked in an office has enjoyed (or perhaps endured) an office Christmas party. For Serena (Laura Rea) in Lydia Kavanagh’s play Deck the Stalls, it is definitely a case of enduring rather than enjoying.
Middle management Madisson is giving a long and boring speech, while HR Sandra wants to pull her aside for a “little chat” about her distracting outfit, all to the backdrop of DJ Dave trying to relive his raving 90s youth. It’s no wonder that Serena ends up locking herself in the toilet. Undercutting the humorous office stereotypes, there is a very relatable story at the heart of Deck the Stalls. Serena isn’t only hiding in the toilets because her colleagues are driving her up the wall, she is also processing the first Christmas after the death of her father.
Grief is central to the narrative of Deck the Stalls, and it is handled subtly and adeptly through Kavanagh’s writing, Rea’s performance and Chloe Cattin’s direction. Clever lighting and sound design from Nathan Friend also move us easily from the over stimulating environment of the Christmas party (featuring the expected cheesy soundtrack) to the quiet of the toilet cubicle and the inside of Serena’s head.
Although this is a one-woman show, the side characters are sufficiently fleshed out in Kavanagh’s script, and performed with such skill and enthusiasm by Rea that it rarely feels as if she is alone on the stage.
Packed with office stereotypes who we will all recognise, and covering relatable themes of grief and loneliness, Deck the Stalls is the perfect watch if you are just a little sick of forced Christmas cheer this holiday season.
Deck the Stalls runs at Riverside Studios until 22nd December.
★★★★☆ (4*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Jamie McNaught
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