Cascando at Jermyn Street Theatre Review
Written by Bronagh for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
If you happen to be in the St James area on any evening up until the 13th September, you may see some cloaked characters walking the street. You would be forgiven for thinking this is some rather strange walking tour… maybe the new series of The Traitors? Alas, this is Gavin Quinn’s production of Samuel Beckett’s Cascando, taking to the streets of St James, cloaked up and listening to the performance through a headset.
In a nutshell, audience members enter the Jermyn St Theatre, instructed to wear a cloak and handed a headset. We are told to put our hoods up to hide said headset, leaving us looking not too unlike angry wizards. We are told to keep our heads down and walk in flow with the person in front of us; I will say, I was pleased to keep my head down, given that I saw several people photographing and/or videoing us on our walk, clearly in disbelief.
The idea of moving the production onto the street is undoubtedly an original, ambitious one. It goes without saying that it is admirable of Pan Pan to put this into practice. As an audience member, I didn’t love it nor did I hate it, if anything, I felt it was a shame that this wasn’t more enjoyable.
Despite being an English Literature graduate and lover of the arts, this was actually my first foray into Beckett’s works. I enjoyed the haunting and ambiguous nature of the writing, the rhythm feeling hypnotic and amplified by the voices of Daniel Reardon and Andrew Bennett. I perhaps would have enjoyed this more if I wasn’t worrying about being knocked over or photographing – more on that later! I suppose listening to this paired with the steady walking does go together pretty well, and this is one aspect that I ‘got’.
I am sorry to say that this is where, from my perspective, the more positive points end. My main concern whilst walking the streets of St James was safety. Call me an overthinker, but this is a busy area in London, which does not go hand in hand with walking slowly with your head slightly bent. A number of road closures and roadworks redirect traffic, leaving you slightly panicked to cross the road should you be clipped by a rogue delivery driver. The route also covers a number of pubs frequented by the after-work crowd, as well as on street drinkers. This may be me being over cautious, but as we know, people can act inappropriately after consuming alcohol particularly when they see something a bit ‘different’. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case when I attended, but it is something that I personally would be cautious of.
I’ve no doubt die hard Becket or those bolder than myself would enjoy this production. Unfortunately for me, this overall felt awkward and didn’t do the work justice. It was impossible to fully concentrate, which it’s a real shame. Top marks for the idea and ambition, but not so much on the execution.
At the Jermyn Street Theatre until 13th September 2025.
★★
