Shed: Exploded View – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

Writer: Phoebe Éclair-Powell

Director: Atri Banerjee

A commanding exploration into the complexities of relationships. Examining the light and shade, the love and pain, by smashing them up to take a look inside, with a view to start again.

Cornelia Parker’s 1991 art installation, ‘Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View’, which captured the moment of flying debris as a result of a shed explosion, provides the source of inspiration for the 2019 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting winner; Phoebe Éclair-Powell, and their new play, Shed: Exploded View, which uses this catastrophic concept to explore interpersonal violence.

The story takes place over the course of 30 years and told primarily through the female gaze. We’re engulfed within the exploding particles of moments, experiences and conversations found within the depths of marriage (“marriages are hard”), and beyond the fondness of the honeymoon period, (“sand turns to glass”) facing hard truths, and devastating moments of violence.

Central to the narrative is the journey of Naomi (Lizzy Watts), who is faced with varying challenges over the years including the breakdown of her relationship with husband, Frank (Jason Hughes) and her struggle to save daughter Abi (Norah Lopez Holden) from making the same mistakes as her as we watch Abi suffer at the hands of her abusive partner, Mark (Michael Workéyé).

Naomi crosses paths with Lil (Hayley Carmichael) who’s third marriage to Tony (Wil Johnson) which at first appears to be content and comfortable, is shattered and rocked with a diagnosis of Dementia. The portrayal of which, lends to some heart-breaking scenes exacerbated by the confinements enforced on people during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The strong cast of 6 work well together to create a solid ensemble to portray these multi– ayered characters whose stories seamlessly weave together through simultaneous, overlapping and interjecting dialogue. The journey and development of each character is strong, as their identity and sense of self is affected by their external circumstances. There are some gut-wrenching moments found in fleeting moments of stillness, the emotional charge radiating off the actors, replicated in the frequent pulsating of the large light bulb set above the stage.

The creative aspects of this production hit all the senses, bringing to life the ideas and concepts explored by Éclair-Powell that of breaking things down to start again. The action orbits around an almost constantly revolving stage, with designer Naomi Dawson making use of the round space of the Exchange Theatre. The movement and positioning of the actors give a sense of constant motion within and around time, and space, which supports the non-linear narrative.

Throughout the play the characters write sentences from each scene around the circumference of the stage, creating a growing tapestry of words from various scenarios which are etched in our memory forever. The absence of an interval was a necessary creative decision as not to disrupt the flow of the piece as it jumps, bounces and echoes, as it builds up in energy leading to its pending implosion.

This world premiere is deserving in its creativity, and sensitivity, in its approach to dealing with difficult issues such as domestic violence, suicide, Dementia, eating disorders and gambling addiction. Comprehensive aftercare resources have been created for anyone affected by the themes of the play, and available to download when booking tickets.

Runs until 2^nd March 2024.