Bold, unapologetic, and certainly unique, Sad-Vents is a really terrific example of innovative theatre that invites its audience into a space which is as unsettling as it is empowering.
A really terrific example of innovative theatre
Exploring how we engage with ourselves and each other in the social media age, Sad-Vents follows its narrator through the highs and lows of childhood loss, messy relationships, and the realities of self-help and mental health. Whilst this show is peppered with humorous lines, memes, and music, it does address uncomfortable situations that probe into serious traumas and dark truths. Sad-Vents compares itself to the likes of Euphoria and Fleabag and whilst there are certainly elements of both TV shows in Sad-Vents I don’t think it needs to sell itself as akin to something else, it is a strong enough production to stand on its own two feet.
The most interesting aspect of Sad-Vents was the technology reliant delivery. Whilst the narrator is onstage for the entire performance, posing in her rather dishevelled bedroom, she addresses the entire performance into the video camera of her phone, which is then projected onto the back wall of the stage. It was interesting to have these two layers of the production happening simultaneously, inviting the audience to see behind the curtain, so to speak, of the realities of live-streaming and what people post online in contrast to real life. Using the space in this capacity was an original and refreshing take on social-media based productions, which so often feels tedious and peachy. Sad-Vents finds a healthy equilibrium between raw and amusing, whilst always being entertaining. Above all, I hold the show’s creator in high esteem for allowing their audience to feel such vulnerability and commitment to their work.
