The Ice at the End of the World, Omnibus Theatre Review
Katy Schutte (Wonder) in The Ice at the End of the World. Photo by Sadhbh McLoughlin
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own
When you feel your muse has hidden away and yearn to push your art to the limit, how far would you go? What would you sacrifice? This is the premise of the deliciously spooky The Ice at the End of The World now taking place at the Omnibus Theatre.
We meet a variety of artists who are seeking to invigorate and expand their art on a boat journey to the Arctic. No internet, no connection with the outside world, what could possibly go wrong? We meet Alys (Eleanor Dillon-Reams), a serious and introverted poetry translator, who is sent unwillingly on this journey by her publisher to better translate the imagery of the Finnish poet’s magnus opus. We also meet Alejandro (Gian Carlo Ferrini), a Spanish artist who loves colour and tries to flirt with any woman he meets. The final artist is Wonder (Katy Schutte), a singer-songwriter obsessed with the beat of words and using the sounds of the Arctic in her work. Finally, we meet the aloof and strange Laura (Judith Amsenga), the ship’s captain and guide. She is obsessed with liminal bacteria and repeatedly tells her guests both to give everything to their art and that she is the one in charge of their lives. You’d expect this to be a good thing with such a dangerous journey but this soon takes a very sinister turn. This cast is fantastic at working together and playing the characters in such a believable way that you can feel their confusion and horror dawning slowly throughout in a way that will make you in the audience feel goosebumps and your throat tighten in horror at what they experience.
The Set & Costumes by Cory Shipp work well to make a believable experience of the Arctic and a small claustrophobic ship without relying on an overabundance of props. The excellent teamwork of Lighting & Video Designer Megan Lucas and Sound Designer Russell Ditchfield does much to elevate the work to be as uneasy and sinister as possible. They work well to invoke the eldritch horrors that await and the strange experiences of the northern light but don’t attempt to do the impossible to replicate it.
Interview: Gian Carlo Ferrini, The Ice at the End of the World
The sinister themes and hints are subtly dropped throughout the play and pulled slowly tighter as we are ever ensnared in this icy spider’s web. If you know what you’re looking for then it's clear but not obvious, if you don’t know about the mythologies of that part of the world then it’s a big surprise reveal. Sprinkled throughout are themes of queer love, the pull between nature and the city, our poor stewardship of this planet and the fickle price our genius demands from us. Considering this is loosely based on the writer’s actual experience of a similar trip, although completely absurd I do worry about what she went through with the other artists. There are many links to works such as The Thing, The Last Winter and Underwater as well as references to Sami and Finnish mythology and some minor references to the stories of Spitsbergen itself. These inspirations and the themes are very well woven together in a play that keeps pace and momentum consistent as it leads to its horrifying conclusion.
The Ice at the End of the World is the perfect thriller to welcome in the colder months and ahead of the frights of October. If you enjoy taut thrillers, hints of the supernatural and existential horror then I recommend this play to you.
At Omnibus Theatre until 12 October.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
