S-27

Overview

A pure slice of classic sci-fi, S-27 could easily be a reworking of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Instead of Hitler, this particular version of dystopia employs a more contemporary phantom, referencing the Khmer Rouge's S-21 prison. Here the civil servant protagonist is female, chosen to work as a prison photographer for an outfit known only as 'the Organisation'.

Sarah Grochala's script deserves its accolades as winner of Amnesty International's Protect The Human Playwriting Award. Less concerned with obvious evils than the fine line between good and bad, Grochala hones in on what people are forced to do in atrocious situations, to what degree they have a choice and what it means if they do decide to choose. This script would not be easy to stage, and for more reasons than its emotional depth. Set only in a single room, the play relies largely on what can be created in the imagination of the audience.

Caroline Craig (in her debut directorial role) pulls the strings with a deft touch: the characters sit firmly within the action but are never allowed to dominate the tension which holds the key to the play's climax. The acting ensemble, Two Birds One Stone, is clearly doing its work as well. May channels the school girl mystery of Picnic at Hanging Rock twisted into Lord of the Flies, while her subordinate, June, is pure Chiaki Kuriyama.

Image by Alex Vaughan.