Supermarket 86, theSpace @ Surgeons’s Hall Review
Written by Brian Keachie for Theatre & Tonic
The venue once again proved ideal for this type of production – small, intimate, and perfectly suited to drawing the audience into the action.
Without giving too much away, the plot centres on four people trapped in a supermarket with the cashier during a snowstorm. It’s a slow-burn start, with numerous long pauses that left the audience unsure of where the story was heading.
As the narrative unfolds, it weaves together several deeply interconnected storylines – perhaps a little too deeply, at times. While there were genuine laugh-out-loud moments and some touching themes, the overall execution fell short. The set design, in particular, did little to evoke a convincing supermarket, and the performances were uneven: one actress stood out with a compelling delivery, but the rest felt more average.
While I wouldn’t actively discourage anyone from seeing it, I can’t say it’s a must-see. It’s live drama from a group of young actors with clear enthusiasm, but for me, the storytelling and performances didn’t quite do justice to the script’s potential.
Supermarket 86 plays at Stephenson Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall until 23 August
★ ★ ★
