Writer: Colin Murphy
Director: Samantha Cade
A pandemic is on the horizon and the politicians in charge are unprepared and do not seem to know what to do.
This sentence is unfortunately very familiar to us, but it is actually about cholera sweeping through 1850s London, wreaking havoc on the poor and resulting in thousands of deaths. Thought to have been caused by bad air, noxious fumes from sewage and open cess pits, ie Miasma, the city of the ‘big stink’ was particularly vulnerable when a new wave started to spread across Europe.
However, Dr John Snow can see that attempts by the medical and political establishment to stem the outbreak by creating a cohesive sewage system may actually be harmful as waste flowed into the Thames, the city’s main water source. It seems obvious to us now that this was a disaster waiting to happen, but it took time and the dedication of Dr Snow, later with help from Rev Harry Whitehead, to prove their theory and eventually eradicate cholera from the nation.
This performance, in the bright upstairs of the James Joyce Centre, was delivered to higher cert students as well as the public. The combining of medical thriller with historical drama kept their interest throughout and made the matter come alive. A more human side of the crisis was shown through a young working class couple, who turned out to be the key to locating the source of the outbreak.
The story of Dr John Snow fighting the establishment, slowly but surely continuing his research to prove his thesis, took on the air of a thriller; one man against the system, trying to force others to see how their actions were taking, not saving, lives. As the body count piled up it was impossible for the audience not to become absorbed into the drama.
The tightly written script and deft direction meant that the actors were able to tell their story in completely new surroundings seemingly with ease. Five performers in total take on a variety of role, switching voices and accents, and using body language and hand gestures to become a new character. The changes were easy to follow due to the excellent acting from all on the stage.
Excellently done, this is a unique, interesting, entertaining offering from Verdant Productions, and one can only hope that many more see MIASMA before it’s run ends.
Runs Until 8th May 2026.
