The internet has altered many aspects of the world we live in. The Lala Land Production’s performance of
A production that attacks a contentious subject head on and does so in the frank manner necessary to get their point across.
Your Point of View is narrated by Dominic (Tom Nguyen), a person who works behind the camera in the porn industry, as he recounts a variety of strange visits his friend James (Shaun Oxenham) makes to Chinatown in London. What follows is a harsh analysis of those who support and are disgusted by the industry as James seeks out a girl from a ‘candid porn’ video who he has naively assumed to be a damsel in distress rather than part of a business that disgust him.
The company should be commended on their approach to this important topic as they handle it with delicacy yet are unafraid to show the stark differences in opinion. Their use of projection to show part of the candid video and James as he searches through Chinatown is intelligent and highlights how much of our lives are seen through video. However, during key dramatic scenes, one finds the dialogue lacks finesse as revelations about characters are written in a blunt tone with little style or regard for a dramatic ‘reveal’.
While the performers fully embody their characters, their diction and projection are lacking. Nguyen is strong as far as his narration is concerned. and connects well with the audience as he relates the events of James’ visits. Yet, there is a certain amount of tension required between him and Oxenham that one struggles to find in their few confrontations, which interrupts the flow of the scene. In addition, Haeseung Lim (who plays both Samaria and Cindy, a club dancer) seems awkward when portraying Cindy with movements that are hesitant and, at times, quite wooden.
The execution and style is not as effective as one would hope for this play but it is a production that attacks a contentious subject head on and does so in the frank manner necessary to get their point across.
