“I hope this isn’t going to be depressing”, says my friend as we take our seats in the Drama Studio. Knowing nothing about the play before us, the stage laid out with foam jigsaw flooring and beanbags, we certainly had our reservations. But Rott£n pulls no punches, with the next hour leaving us simply speechless.
Following three housemates Sonia, Saoirse and Coco (Kavita Vyas, Nicola Taggart and Narisha Lawson, respectively), Rott£n sees the budding actresses strike gold when they film the well-off Iris (Alice Berry) cheating on her boyfriend with a woman, using the footage to blackmail her and set them all up for a better life. But with Sonia’s problematic ex Ross (Sam Butters) back on the scene, the moral dilemma facing the group may just split them beyond repair.
I was not prepared for this play at all. It is an exciting and unexpected piece of theatre that is sure to leave any viewers on their toes for the entire run. Author Josie White’s script is exceptional writing by any metric, shining a light on morality, injustice and what it means to trust, or betray, one another for the sake of an idealised future. White’s writing and direction by Rikki Beadle-Blair combine with inventive technical decisions, particularly the use of lighting states and occasional sound effects, to bring the play to life.
Whether it’s a tense negotiation between the girls and their blackmailed subject, or monologues about privilege or the trauma each of our characters have suffered which contributes to their portrayed attitudes, every scene works efficiently with the plot to advance this storyline quickly, but at a good pace. Whilst some comedy elements are a little fast to really hit home, it adds to the overall frenzy our characters feel as the plot develops, and this is quickly forgotten as the stakes are raised ever higher, and each person’s true intentions become clearer, for better or for worse.
Kavita Vyas’ Sonia is the epitome of clever acting and stage presence, knowing when to project herself and when to withdraw, crafting a vision of Sonia’s character which is certain to be incorrect until the final scenes. Her ability to build relationships with other cast members and more reserved characterisation are powerfully effective at communicating this more privileged, naïve façade, only to tear it down to the shock of all when the moment is right.
Complemented by her ex, Ross, Butters’ performance as this street criminal being brought into this blackmail plot is comedic and suspenseful, providing comic moments that elevate some scenes, and reduce others to the point of disliking his character. Whilst his accent switched between Rodney Trotter, Del Trotter and Iago from Aladdin, the core of his performance as a shifty, dodgy figure came across well throughout the play, and leaves you in no doubt that his character is fundamentally flawed, yet deeply misunderstood.
Rott£n’s characters may be “forced to watch all those talentless twats”, but for its audiences, it could not be further from their reality. This production, whilst being a relatively-unknown plot, cast and company, has extraordinary potential to go onto great things. I was so pleasantly surprised by this production, and would be incredibly excited for this show to have a future life, locally or nationally, to allow more people to see this story. A modern-day Agatha Christie story, Rott£n must be seen to be believed.
Rating: ★★★★★
Rott£n played at the University of Sheffield Drama Studio on November 8th, & touring the U.K. until November 16th
