The latest production to grace the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse’s stage, BULL is a technically brilliant production which is let down by its content. Pitched as “three employees fight[ing] to keep their jobs”, a more accurate description would be “two employees bully a third for an hour knowing full well who is losing their job”. All taking place in a single room, indicated only by an LED-lined checkered floor, audience members are ‘treated’ to workplace harassment on an industrial scale from obnoxious characters who make you feel empathetic, but not entertained.
The best performance is given by Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran as Tony, a suave, self-confident team leader who is ready to play the corporate game at every turn in order to further his own interests, at the expense of Rob Ostlere’s Thomas. Opposite Rebecca Blackstone as Isobel, the two spend the hour making their oversized characters as insufferable as possible, with moments of light comedic relief attempting, only half-successfully to relieve the audience from the intensity playing out in front of them.
Owokoniran is instantly dislikable, an important trait given his character, and when paired with Blackstone, the two form a formidable and scheming pair, which comes to ultimate fruition with the introduction of Time Frances’ Carter. Meanwhile, Ostlere’s performance is heartbreaking to witness, his systematic destruction by his colleagues brutal in no uncertain terms, and leaves audiences feeling profoundly empty leaving the theatre. However, the entire cast are united in their zero character progression throughout the hour-long run, being the same obnoxious trio who entered. The exception to this is, of course, Thomas but I am not certain how much we can consider complete mental breakdown and workplace harassment character development.
To add to the oversized order of fairly authentic and intense bullying, a small dose of unnecessary and problematic use of language, a casual mention of specific prolific sexual abuse details and a strange moment of leaning their heads on a colleague’s bare chest is a bizarre way of “just making conversation” that I doubt works on page, let alone on stage.
Where the production is lacking in its content, some of its technical aspects shine through, particularly the collaboration between Designer Alex Marker and Light and Sound Technician Myles Robinson. The use of colour is styled well and adds to the ‘clique’ feel of the cast dynamic using a repeated red motif, present throughout the office set, lighting and on all cast members beside the ostracised Thomas, a small but clever detail that subtly hints at what the audience is guessing.
BULL is a tough watch and one that isn’t particularly rewarding if you do find yourself able to get through it. With mere seconds of dark humour sprinkled in an hour of mental torture and ruthless dissection of a person’s life, the technical design of key elements is this production’s saving grace. Decent performances and good tech is not enough to rescue a difficult story however, and this unsettling production is one to seriously consider before committing to office workers “just making conversation”.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
BULL is playing at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse until January 18th
