Theatre Review: Pontypool, Wales Millennium Centre
Summary:
Rating: ★★★
Running Dates: Wednesday 30th October – Saturday 16th November 2024
Where to see it: Wales Millennium Centre
Duration: 2 hours and 10 minutes (including interval)
Keywords: Wales, Horror, Language
Photo Credit: Kirsten McTernan
Review
If you are not ready to bid farewell to spooky season, it may be worth going down the Bay to see Pontypool, the horror adaptation that follows three seemingly mundane people working at Beacon Radio in rural Wales.
The main character, rugged Londoner Mazzy (Lloyd Hutchinson), is a radio broadcaster past his prime, struggling to come to terms with his new reality in small town Pontypool. At the start of the play, the audience grows increasingly frustrated with the way he acts not only towards his fellow female radio coworkers but also the disdain he seems to feel towards the town. His 'anti-woke' outdated views also serve as a stark reminder that coming from the big city does not guarantee having an open mind. Pontypool is clever in the way it conveys that this arrogance is exactly what will doom the whole town in the end.
Whilst purposefully choosing to keep the plot vague in this review to allow theatregoers to experience the play to its full potential, what can be said is that the play is a slow-burn and the apocalyptic tension is felt from start to finish, mostly thanks to the marriage of ominous music and guided lighting. The audience doesn't particularly root for any of the three main characters, which contributes to the atmosphere of dread and unrest whilst the play unfolds. Even though this could alienate some of the audience, it mostly works in this play - as the characters are quarantined inside their radio basement, the audience too is trapped with characters they don't fully trust.
This adaptation resonates with current audiences as it mentions social issues we've all recently experienced, such as the covid-19 pandemic and the rise of right-wing racist riots, which makes the play seem more real. However, it also features a couple of jokes, which gives the audience a much-needed break from the atmosphere of tension.
Photo Credit: Kirsten McTernan
One of the best features of the play is the way it cleverly uses radio as a medium for storytelling. Considering this is a smaller production, with a limited set and cast, this felt like a powerful choice to connect the characters with the outside world and allowed our minds to expand beyond the confinement of that basement.
A moment to be highlighted is when Megan (Mali O'Donnell) starts transforming and the other two main characters are completely unaware of it as they're obsessing over what is happening in the outside world - this dark yet comic scene was a reminder that we often focus on the wrong situation and fail to see the real danger in front of us.
Ultimately, Pontypool is the story of a stubborn man who speaks recklessly and uses words without considering their meaning and potential consequences, and how he causes his own demise by doing so. In a world where language is more and more divisive - and therefore powerful - it was riveting to see to a horror adaptation which focuses on an often-overlooked problem. Pontypool is a small production, and not your conventional horror story, but its message is clear - think before you speak.
The show is running until the 16th November so grab your ticket soon!
See If: You enjoy unconventional horror stories or stories set in Wales
Similar Plays: War of the Worlds, Ghost Stories
Last Impression: An interesting play which showcases the true power of words.
To get tickets for the show click here
We were kindly gifted these tickets in exchange for a review.
Written by Mariana Andrade
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