Mikey Bailey sets the scene by laying out a deck of cards, and this deliberateness seems to reverberate with his character, who seeks constant control. The serious and sometimes dark aspects of this character are a long way from Bailey’s usual roles as a physical comic. He rose to the challenge delightfully in this more dramatic role, which was nonetheless informed by his physicality.
We are then introduced to Mikhala Hawken and Benjamin Jackson’s characters who interact in two parallel stories of an old man meeting a young girl, and a pair of lovers; both pairs meeting on a park bench. The cards are used as a playful vehicle with the love story represented as the Queen of Hearts. Hawken and Jackson move together fluidly, with Bailey menacing as a third presence who tries to steal the Queen of Hearts; a little of his circus background is displayed in his clever and acrobatic thefts.
It’s not so much a straight story as a journey through the feelings elicited in relationships. Radiohead’s music drives both the movement and the narrative in delightful ways.
As a work of theatre, House of Cards is hypnotic and beautiful, with elements of shadow play, film and live performance working together almost seamlessly. The accuracy of the choreography in the film to live transition was wonderful, though one flaw was obvious: the costumes worn by the performers did not match those worn by their characters on screen, but this was not a major problem, as the characters ‘walked’ onto the screen so cleverly.
House of Cards was staged at Turnstyle, a non-profit, community run space; part of the Anywhere Theatre Festival’s commitment to presenting work literally everywhere. Performed in a space that resembled a rumpus room, the non-traditional space disarmed this audience member just enough to open my mind up to what was about to transpire on the makeshift stage. Appropriately, this non-linear journey through relationships is as much about the experiences the audience brings to it as the performance itself.
Look out for the next piece by Synestheatre; it’s bound to be a great show too!
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
House of Cards
Presented by Synestheatre
Artistic Director: Mikhala Hawken
‘Turnstyle’ Community Hub, Highgate Hill
May 10 – 12
Anywhere Theatre Festival
May 10 – 19
