BRIGHTON FRINGE: Miracle Theatre’s Fleapit – Everyman : One Church Brighton

By: Miracle Theatre
Adapted by: Carol Ann Duffy
Director: Kyla Goodey
Reviewer: Lela Tredwell

This is a vital piece of theatre brought to life in an innovative space, through outstanding performances and effects.

This exciting adaptation by Carol Ann Duffy is beautifully realised by Miracle Theatre in an inventive setting. The performance space is a tent inside a church which feels entirely fitting for this performance. The Fleapit is an inspiring venue, created with booths around the outer edges and a central arena. During this dynamic performance the space is used exceptionally well.

This adaptation is based on one of the great primal dramas The Summoning of Everyman, first performed in 1510, and its relevance to a modern audience has been carefully considered through its reworking. What has been created is a narrative vital for our times. Everyman is out of control. He’s burning through everything. No sense of consequence. No credit limits. No eye on his excess. He’s wasteful and spiralling. It’s about time something stopped him in his tracks. God’s got a plan.
Death’s involved. Everyman’s not going to like it.

With mesmerising performances from the entire cast this critical piece of theatre reaches everywhere. There’s a wonderfully invigorating energy to the show and the audience are swept along through inspiring methods of engagement. At a given point you may even turn to find Death sitting beside you eating a packet of crisps and giving you a playful nudge.

Giles King’s portrayal of Death is utterly captivating. Charlotte Merriam is highly versatile and has the audience hanging on her every word. Laura Cairns and Dean Rehman have created a beautifully intriguing dynamic between their characters which has us hooked. These are truly
performances to capture the imagination.

Music, sound, visual effects, props, costumes – everything is perfectly created with brilliant attention to detail. It’s a thrill to watch the circle in the centre of the arena change with each new setting. The visuals projected around the space are magical and consuming. Death’s wheels are hypnotic. The shoes worn by ‘sales’ are guiltily coveted.

We are regularly invited to see ourselves in the piece and to dig deep. This show makes you laugh, burn and then breaks your heart. It invites you to feel dead, alive, and despair. It has you feeling frustrated to be human, wish to Hell you weren’t, and grateful with all your soul that you are. It leaves you with hope.

Reviewed on 24th May.