Set in the fictional Rust Belt town of Eldritch, Missouri, Lanford Wilson's play The Rimers of Eldritch is brought to the Fringe by Bronxville High School. Detailing the trail of Nelly Windrod it is moving piece of theatre that looks at loss, religious fervour and the idiosyncrasies of living in a small American town. Or at least it should be.
This is a play that deals with some incredibly difficult and sensitive subject matters which the cast doesn’t do justice to. Save for a couple of select performances I just couldn’t believe their portrayal of this crumbling Bible Belt town. I'm not even sure this is the actors’ fault - they have been given a challenge that they never should have had. This is a play where even the most experienced of actors would have possibly struggled to bring the full nuance and depth of character out on stage. To ask school children to do this is almost unfair to them and the talent that they may possess. Further to this, the play has an undercurrent of sexuality within it that cannot possibly be conveyed comfortably by children and young teenagers. It all just felt a little off.
There were also times where I felt that the company had not adapted their production for the studio space they were using. It all felt a little cramped, particularly with the quick lighting changes they were trying to use to switch quickly between conversations and scenes. Too often it felt like there wasn’t enough space for the actors to move around and act in. Whether this was a technical or blocking issue was unclear but either way it didn't work.
The writing itself is excellent but this is a play that should have had me shifting uncomfortably in my seat and severely disliking many of the cast. This simply wasn’t the case as I found myself distinctly bored and uninterested rather than thinking strongly on the bold themes of the play.