B O X is an odd and offbeat comedy, and perhaps too self aware of that. The play takes place entirely in the fashionable yet entirely impractical kitchen of Elle and Bea (it consists of only a kettle or three) the prison that is their refuge from the unknown outside world. It’s a cool and detached setting, just as these two new roommates are, dressed in their impeccable, mock 1950s swing dresses, obsessed with maintaining the pristine white of their table and the cleanliness of the floor.
The performances from Bea and Elle, played by Adriana Colón and Margaret Kerr (who also devised the piece) are charming and almost endearing in their pathetic condition, although they are both fussy and clearly unlikeable characters. Their interactions are curt and at points sour, spoken in uneasy, contrived patterns of speech, reminiscent of ‘The Mighty Boosh’. It’s clear that this production derived from an improvised process, and whilst this encourages the possibility of exciting tangents, there lingers a sense of uncomfortable uncertainty in both performances.
It takes the discovery of three strange red boxes to break the awkward silences and inconsequential chatter. Now things could get interesting as Bea and Elle are forced to connect to the real world and their guests; the audience in front of them. The points of interaction are funny but unfortunately short and more could have been made of the girls surprise and fear of the sudden attention.
There is a sense of existential angst and isolation in the ground hog day repetition of packet after packet of ramen they consume, always half eaten, always committed to the trash can. I found myself eagerly waiting for the small bin to overflow and enjoy the chaos that might ensue, but unfortunately this wasn’t the case. In fact, I was left with the sense that there were other jokes that could have been pushed. Once the tragicomedy of these poor, pitiful young women was clearly expressed, I felt a more adventurous, funnier story lay in sending them out of the house to face real problems and other characters, besides the awkward conversations with salesmen on the telephone. Maybe, there could be a sequel for Elle and Bea.
