Review: WHITE NURSE, The Lion And Unicorn Theatre

LARC is a rehabilitation centre that specialises in making people fall out of love with their partners. Layla checks herself in after being subjected to her boyfriend Joe's regular physical and psychological abuse. She revisits her past hurt and focuses on trying to overcome her feelings in a brief play by Abby Coppard.

Keira McAlister directs the haunting show. The Nurse comes in and administers Layla's daily dose of miraculous concoction while Joe hovers and sulks in the background, ready to take over the young woman's memories. The couple's happiness quickly turns into a shocking account of textbook domestic abuse.

The script is smooth but too short, which makes it feel slightly underdeveloped especially in its finale. As a whole, White Nurse doesn't lack depth in terms of character exploration but it does so when it comes to their actions and their outcome. LARC managed to help Layla but such a change will never come without consequences.

As it is, it leaves the public wanting to know more about its dynamics. How does the centre work? What happens when the abusers aren't as compliant as Joe is to let things go? Fundamentally, the play is missing those small details that would make it an exceptional piece of theatre. The concept is strong and the acting is equally poignant but, as a project, it can definitely get better.

White Nurse runs at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre until 11 August as part of Camden Fringe.

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