A mysterious and intriguing show, Blackout certainly makes up in atmosphere what it lacks in narrative. Featuring music by talented actor and musician Tim Cook, the show was a mix of drama and songs that were seamlessly intertwined with the story, and having been marketed as ‘part psychological thriller, part post-apocalyptic musical’, it was set up with a lot of promise.
Overall it was a very good piece of theatre with a very promising story, but it unfortunately fell prey to an underdeveloped conclusion.
Amani Zardoe and Tim Cook both offered very strong performances as new neighbours Tracy and Mark with a good grasp on the intensely fiery script, but the fast delivery of the dialogue was a little hard to get used to at first. Scientist Tracy exuded a confidence that rubbed scruffy musician Mark up the wrong way in the best way, creating a friendship forced into conception due to a lengthy power cut that was as funny as it was touching in their more intimate moments.
There were a lot of questions set up in the play’s short 45 minute span, and the main issue the piece suffered was their inadequate resolution. The main question asked by both the characters and the audience was what happened to the Earth after the sun failed to rise after the power cut. But the story was concluded with a revelation concerning the fate of Mark’s late girlfriend, which, while an important facet of his character by all means, wasn’t the main concern of the piece.
Having no explanation or hint of resolution left you feeling unsatisfied at the end, and it would have encompassed its label as a thriller better if it had been equipped with a more dramatic ending. Overall it was a very good piece of theatre with a very promising story, but it unfortunately fell prey to an underdeveloped conclusion.
