Tarantula, Arcola Theatre Review
Georgie Henley in Tarantula. Photo by Kate Hockenhull
Written by Danai for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Tarantula at Arcola Theatre is a story starting with a sweet and innocent date that proves to be nothing but that. Toni (Georgie Henley) is a teenage girl who goes on her first date with Michael, and while everything seems carefree and new, as it should be, suddenly, she and Michael are attacked. This attack will have a fatal consequence, taking one of their lives and severely wounding the other. Despite the traumatic events described in this story, it manages, in an excellent way, to do exactly the opposite for the audience watching it. Tarantula is an unforgettable burst of talent and an excellent collaboration amongst the creatives of this production.
The combination of how magnetic this story is on its own and how complete it seems, keeping the audience fixed on what’s happening without easily diverting their attention, along with the incredible performance and acting skills of Georgie Henley, is truly magical. Every choice made for this production was very clever, as Henley’s abilities are greatly used in this demanding role since she is the sole performer on stage. It’s a very intense performance emotionally, with all the character and emotional shifts not only being excellently portrayed, but also well written and directed.
So, on one hand, we have the amazing acting abilities of Henley and on the other hand, we have a beautifully written story by Philip Ridley that is very interesting when it comes to its psychological portrayals. Beyond the obvious objective of the plot—Toni seems always on the edge and the threat of the attacker coming back is constant, giving a sense that something in the air could explode—it also touches on trauma. How trauma is often concealed even when we move on from something traumatic, how it can resurface, and how it can take on different forms, even when we seem perfectly fine are all parts of Toni's development. And although this may not be the ultimate goal of the play, I believe that this deep exploration of a wounded soul makes the play relatable and impactful.
Overall the direction of Widget Green is hugely impressive because she truly did an excellent job with Henley and the story. The combination of all three—acting, writing, and directing—was exemplary. The scenes where everything is dark, and the lights are focused on Toni's face, especially in the hospital, were incredible. The lighting design of Ciaran Cunningham was perfect, and the directorial idea of having such intensity on the actress’s face, which clearly also evokes the feeling of an operating room lamp, was brilliant. It really allowed the viewers to see the close-up expressions of the actress in a captivating way.
A few small concerns I had were about the intensity of the voice at certain moments. When it comes to the body sequence Henley performs when remembering the scene of the attack, it was important that she shouts Michael's name repeatedly. Yet, at other moments, I felt that her voice and energy level was too intense, and I don’t think it was necessary or added something to the performance.
As for the ending, although it was intentionally ambiguous and left us with a certain openness, I personally felt that the rest of the play was so powerful that I wish there had been a more complete ending. I felt that this kind of ending was somewhat misplaced for this production, although it's understandable as a choice when it comes to the dialogue it opens with the audience.
In general, the way this story was told was amazing and kept the audience focused without ever making them feel dissatisfied. The contrasts between humor and drama, carefree moments and a darker undertone that occasionally touched the tragic, were very effective. As I was leaving, I heard someone from the audience say it felt like watching a film, and indeed Tarantula manages to nail a kind of storytelling that is hard to achieve in theatre.
I believe that the play, as well as the performance of Georgie Henley, is truly haunting because it manages to get into your mind and stay there for a long time. It was a perfect example of how talent doesn’t need a lot of surrounding effects and impressive scenery to shine, and this definitely applies to all the people involved, who seem incredibly talented and perfectly synchronized in what they set out to accomplish with Tarantula, which is more than a memorable play to watch.
At Arcola Theatre until 25 January 2025
★ ★ ★ ★
