High Windows Low Doorways

Seven talented performers teamed with seven writers to create High Windows Low Doorways, a play which explores individual experiences of that taboo subject: spirituality.

Showcasing a production method which is quickly becoming popular in the theatre world, director Paul Gilchrist and producer Daniela Giorgi assembled an ensemble cast, then teamed each actor with a writer. Actors provided their writer with an anecdote from their own personal life and their stories were built into a cohesive show in the rehearsal rooms.

The show opened with Matt Butcher carrying a black-and-white photograph of his grandparents and reminiscing about his grandmother. He’s followed by Peter McAllum, who explored his religious experiences after his involvement in a motorbike accident, and, subsequently, Alice Keohavong, who was never quite a good enough ‘Laos girl’ for her mother. The performance of Kit Bennett, as her opinionated teenage-self who rebuked a bigoted religious teacher is followed by that of the hilarious Gavin Roach who discussed how we’ve evolved since the cave-man, before leading back to the finale of Kit’s piece. We learned that Naomi Livingstone was once stalked by feathers, while Helen Tonkin ended with the defining thought of the evening: ‘We don’t have answers. We only have ourselves’.

The performances were all high-quality and special mention must go to Naomi Livingstone and Helen Tonkin for their emotionally charged contributions. A simple stage design and minimal props allowed fluid changeovers between individual pieces. Changes in mood were portrayed appropriately towards the end by a plethora of soundtrack and lighting changes, leaving one wondering why such shifts weren’t as obvious in the first half. Gilchrist certainly did an admirable job with the material he had, as did the writers.

The aim of High Windows Low Doorways is to provoke thought and conversation, but the end product lends little to philosophical debate. This is easily accessible theatre, and, on an unkind note, this layout is reminiscent of a reality TV show. Inclusion of a diverse range of characters accentuates the visible differences and similarities between characters’ belief systems in a somewhat lazy manner. Overall, High Windows Low Doorways is entertaining, but may not be challenging or confronting enough for either the subject matter or the mission statement of subtle nuance.