Review: CASSEROLE, Arcola Theatre

Is Kate’s late mother sending her signals from the afterlife? Dom doesn't think so, but his girlfriend is panicking about it, so he tries to take her concerns seriously. After Kate shows up unexpectedly during one of Dom’s drunken nights, all hell breaks loose. Casserole looks at different types of grief, but never plunges into the nitty gritty of it.

Written by James Alexandrou (who also directs), Kate Kelly Flood, and Dom Morgan, the venture sees the light of day after years of collaborative improvisation in a basement in Dalston. There are too many hands in this pie and there’s too much inordinate dilly-dallying for a play that’s just over one hour long.

After an extended introduction where we watch Dom drink and smoke, Kate turns up from an award ceremony after having a panic attack because she couldn’t find “her mum” (probably a trinket she carries is her pocket, it was difficult to understand what it really was). She’s less than impressed with Dom’s mess, they bicker, she takes her high heels off (then puts them back on, then takes them off, then on again throughout the show) and tries to convince her boyfriend to leave his depression lair and join her special night.

They rehash old resentments, guilt-trip each other, and discuss Kate’s rapport with her mother, all very superficially. It feels like there are a number of plays within the text and they don’t always agree with one another. It all boils down to the fact that Kate and Dom shouldn’t be together at all. There’s a brief realisation that their relationship is especially toxic, but the script keeps wanting the subject to be Kate’s dead mother. It’s quite frustrating, as their final confrontation gives a fiery idea of what the piece could be and how intense the performances could get.

Alexandrou and Flood are an ill-assorted duo on stage. Whether this is done on purpose to expose the awful tie their characters share or whether they got the part because they’re in the writing team is hard to tell, but the clash in vibe ultimately works. Though there isn’t much of a psychological profile to either of them, they're defined by a severe disjunction. The couple are simply at two contrasting stages in their lives, both depressed for different reasons and largely unwilling to approach the matter in a healthy manner.

Dom is bored and unemployed, Kate is celebrated for her work. They used to be in the same field, but something happened and Dom was shunned from it. Now he takes his frustration out with alcohol and smoke while Kate earns enough to keep them both afloat. This unbalance means that Dom was by her mum when she passed while she wasn't. The situation creates acrimony and envy between the two, emotions that they can’t address, explain, or justify properly. There’s loads of thematic potential that could be unpacked by a dramaturg. 

The design is by far the most accomplished aspect. Paulina Camacho and Paul Weedle transform the theatre's second stage into an exceptionally realistic flat. The Arcola’s exposed brick circles a plush carpet that covers the floor, while seating surrounds the couple’s whole living space. We brush our knees against the furniture, the proximity between actors and audience turning the experience into a bona fide voyeuristic spell. It’s another side of the project that’s unfortunately left unexamined. While we’re physically intruding into these people’s lives, we’re not actually granted a look into their psyche as invasive as the set-up would suggest.

All in all, this iteration of the production is only a springboard. While it’s a missed opportunity at the moment, nothing's carved in stone when it comes to drama. A firmer grasp on the play’s intent and a further unfurling of its core could make it a thorough analysis of the casual cruelty and everyday hurt in romantic relationships with a side of mourning.

Casserole runs at the Arcola Theatre until 30 March.

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