This is an action-packed offering that runs for an intense half an hour of desperation and claustrophobia.
Two men, David and Seth, bankers, are on the run, sitting in a boat adrift in the middle of an ocean. On the edge of sanity, threatening suicide and murder, they contemplate their chance of rescue and the loved ones left behind, never to be seen again. From the onset the dynamic is charged and intense, packing a hard punch. The peak is reached so early, however, it becomes wearing too soon, and I longed for relief and a twist.
Performances are energetic and generally skillful. The madness portrayed by Edwin Price, as David, is initially riveting, but begins to flag in authenticity as Price resorts to stock manic grins and overly contrived gurning. Alexander Bowsher’s Seth is a controlled and malicious counterpoint in his sneering outbursts and interrogations of a squirming David, likewise reaching the end of his tether. The relationship is fraught, but not entirely fleshed out, and the moments of stillness and clarity could have been utilised more carefully to develop the connections between David and Seth beyond the ferocious reactions to their predicament.
The talents of the sound designer Nathan Klein, set up on stage, provide an intriguing and organic backdrop to the action on the boat, creating an atmosphere of subtle disquiet. Equally impressive is the singing from the third actor and otherwise wordless performer, Eleanor Budge, an embodiment of both beloved daughter and lover. Her performance is both chilling and compelling, and she has great presence in her silence. The moments of interaction with her ghostly form had potential and more might have come out of the men’s desperate struggle to communicate with her.
Kelvin Fawdrey’s script is clever, and the dialogue is crisp and sometimes witty, but unfortunately could have offered up more narrative and less abstruse references to the crimes these men have supposedly committed. More in-depth dialogue and a nuanced relationship between the two characters might have achieved a greater sense of connection and empathy from the audience.
Rubber Dinghy is a skilful and sometimes deeply absorbing production that fiercely reflects the desperation of two men lost and forlorn. There could have been more besides their angst, but this short piece reveals raw masculine turmoil with commendable passion and energy
