Exsomnia: Fringe Review

Using theatre as an outlet to explore the world of dreams is always a bold move, and one that is very difficult to do convincingly. Therefore, a play that tries to capture the terror experienced when one is unable to distinguish between reality and imagination would have to be done very well for it not to come across as ridiculous. Clearly influenced by the likes of Alfred Hitchock and David Lynch, Phonographic’s production attempts to create a nightmarish vision that is chilling to watch. Instead, they produce a painful hour of incoherent nonsense. With a grating soundtrack and unbelievably repetitive storyline, this is a production that fails on almost every turn. An admirable idea, but one which ultimately flounders.

C soco, 14 – 27 Aug, 12.00pm (12.55pm), £5.50 – £8.50, fpp260.

tw rating 1/5

Taken from Three Weeks, published online Tue Aug 30th 2011.