Hole – Old Red Lion Theatre, London

An ambitious production, Hole takes us far beyond the confines of its pub theatre setting.

Hole

It’s rare, in all my theatre trips, to end up in such a different place to where I thought I was going.  But such is Hole, a slightly revised revival of a work by Hannah Morrish first performed by the writer herself at London’s Jermyn Street Theatre in 2021.  This time around, it’s at the Old Red Lion Theatre, and performed by Matsume Kai.  The revisions I mentioned are largely to tailor the story to Kai: switching some dialogue to Japanese, and swapping a monologue for a song.

But what’s it all about?  Well, as usual, I will try not to give away more than I should: this is one I think you should see for yourself so I will avoid too many spoilers.  But we enter the Old Red Lion’s above-pub space and find it intriguingly minimalist: a black set with mannequin parts strewn about, and some strip lights.  In the corner stands a figure in traditional Japanese dress.  Presumably Kai (OK, one spoiler: it is her).  From the outset Kai makes good use of the space, dipping in and out of the various doors under David Fairs and Conor O’Kane’s direction (Fairs and O’Kane also do the design, and movement direction with Rebecca Joy Wilson).  It’s bold staging which transcends my expectations of a relatively modest production.

But again, what’s it all about?  It starts as a searingly honest account of life with an eating disorder.  Binge eating disorder, to be exact.  The hunger and the emptiness, the shame and the desire to be seen yet also to hide away.  Difficult for anyone.  Particularly difficult for a would-be actor, as our central character is.  A scene in a rehearsal room in which our protagonist is challenged to let go, to “drop through the trapdoor of herself”, is the catalyst for this 75-minute monologue to transform into something completely different.

Through the Trap Door

There are hints of Alice in Wonderland, classical mythology and psychiatry as this seemingly meaningless exhortation becomes surprisingly literal.  Our protagonist takes up the challenge of plumbing her own depths.  The uncertainty over what exactly her inner quest is is reflective of how much she has shied away from herself, her fear of what is (or is not) inside her.  But with great imagination, and again great use of the set and space, we go with her on an adventure and eventually reach a conclusion.

This is a wonderfully challenging role for an actor. The rawness of the protagonist’s emotions, and the need to build up unseen worlds with voice and body. Kai holds our gaze and stands amongst us, entering our space and bringing us into hers.

I don’t think Hole is for everyone. I think you have to be willing to lean into the dark spaces and feelings inside yourself to truly connect with this story. And not everyone will buy into a Surrealist escapade of fairly literal navel gazing. But I thought it was accomplished from all angles: writing, acting, (movement) direction and design. So if this honest, quirky and daring production sounds like something you might also like, please get booking. Maybe you’ll leave contemplating your own inner journey, ego and id.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5

Hole on until 22 June 2024. More info and tickets here.