Drifting | Southwark Playhouse

Drifting, which is written and directed by Andrew Muir, is the latest production by Ardent8, a company dedicated to promoting and supporting young artists from underrepresented backgrounds with stories that are less often represented on stage. Drifting explores the journey of one such lost soul who dreams of making it big in the city, but is held back in his small coastal town due to a precarious economy. 

The play follows an unnamed young man as he stares out to sea, filled with the deep desire and drive to escape from the clutches of a small town and head to the city. Despite this determination, his interactions with his parents, girlfriend, co-workers and even a stranger spirit slowly expose the web of complexities that he can't seem to shake loose. The play takes on a whimsical narrative, keeping the audience in the shadow as the Young Man seemingly unable to start or stop remains stalled. 

The foundation of the play is strong, touching upon a subject that many young people, especially those in the creative industries, can connect to. However, with every interaction, this framework begins to fill with fog until the audience is left just as lost and dazed as the Young Man. If this were intentional then the play has triumphed, but at the cost of leaving an impact on the audience. 

Although the play is 90 minutes, the play feels longer; especially the last couple of interactions that take several unnecessarily detours and unintentionally dilutes the strong substance that was created in the first half. The writing itself is poetic and emotional, but a tad self-indulgent at moments, leading to wonderfully written metaphorical stories that would perhaps have fit better elsewhere. Most of the dialogue is loaded with several meanings and raise thought provoking questions; aimed both at the Young Man and at the audience. However, this does cause the dialogue to feel unnatural, and alienates the audience from the characters. 

The cast do a great job as they breath life into the characters and create a sense of empathy and warmth on stage. Olivia Israel as Arcade Assistant is a gifted storyteller, transforming the hefty dialogue into a riveting story. Amirah Alabere as Work Colleague delivers a passionate performance with a dynamic stage presence. Olivia McGrath as the Granger creates the sense of intrigue and spirituality in the role as she watches conversations unfold and is delightful to watch. Although shrouded in mystery, McGrath makes sure the dialogue feels as piercing as possible. 

Toby Batt and Phoebe Woodbridge are well paired as Father and Mother. Batt's bluntness is countered by the amiable Woodbridge, resulting in fast paced conversations that has the audience laughing throughout. Woodbridge's general sense of being spacey is hilarious and creates much needed light hearted moments. Batt's performance is strong and his outbursts really help drive the narrative. 

Yarrow Spillane as the Girlfriend shines in the role with a heartfelt performance. Spillane is endearing in the role, as she is both supportive and sensible and unintentionally becomes the most likeable and developed character. Lewis Allen as Manager bringing comedic relief is golden, with a deadpan performance that has the audience spluttering with laughter. Allen's dialogue delivery and unshakeable nature brings out the ironies of the play, as well as becoming a comforting sight of abnormality in an otherwise heavy and bleak play. 

Trae Walsh as Young Man beautifully conveys the internal agony of being stretched too thin, driven, burnt out, scared, ambitious, frustrated, passionate and many more in a strong performance. The play keeps Walsh constantly engaged, taking on several versions of himself to fit in various relationships, allowing audiences to experience the world from his frayed perspective. Walsh is a subtle yet deeply emotive performer and this creates a rich performance overall. 

Bethan Wall has created a metal structure (built by Adam Bottomley) that feels abstract and weathered, yet can double into more practical sets such as the store shelves, or living room furniture. Blue and purple orbs (Rachel E Cleary) are hung on a string around this structure, creating a fantastical element to the show. 

Drifting sets out to do as titled; taking the audience on a journey with a front row seat, allowing them to feel just as lost as the characters. The play explores several interesting topics and raises even more fascinating conversations, yet ultimately is swallowed by the abyss of an ending that is left open with little consequence. 

★★★☆☆ (3*)

Mark Douet