Downstage Drama

The Devil Wears Prada, another iconic 90s-2000s “chick-flick” and one of my favourite films, has recently premiered as a brand new West End musical. With music by Elton John, I had very high expectations but this production proved to me that it has the power and beauty of a hit musical, with the accessories to match.  Firstly, the aesthetic of the musical was tackled in a very interesting way. Glossy and chic, every design choice seemed to have been very carefully chosen to match the fashion magazine vibe of the entire production. Right down to the show programme, made to look like a spring issue. Even the foyer of the Dominion was dressed to perfection with modelling photos and curated mannequins. There were many lighting states that reflected this too, with clean white shapes or pops of bright colour. I certainly got the chic-ness of the magazine, but Runway is also meant to have editorial photoshoots, eye-catching spreads and heaps of drama, sexiness and beauty. I came to the sh...

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, by Edward Albee, is a startling commentary on the pitfalls of marital life and the compressing, suffocating effects of gender roles and competition. In fact, the word “suffocating” encapsulates much of the essence of this play and, in my opinion, summarises its messages. Physically, it is set in one kitchen for the entire three acts, with the same four characters simply entering and re-entering. From just reading it, the atmosphere feels constricted and tight. And then there’s the characters. Each one slowly being suffocated in their respective marriages, their careers and their own perceptions of themselves and the world around them. They, (explicitly Martha and George) allow damage and hurt to infiltrate their lives in every way possible, and in a sense, are suffocating themselves in doing so. It is a very interesting way of writing - how at first Albee implies that someone else has their hands around the characters’ necks, when in fact, as it is reve...