A new play by Sarah Rickman has descended upon the stage of Park Theatre in London, sparking a sense of unease and disconnection among its all-female cast. "Kindling" is an unorthodox exploration of female friendships, set against the sombre backdrop of a redwood forest in Wales.
The story centers around Mei, who has recently passed away due to cancer. In her final wish, she has asked her closest friends to gather in the woods and scatter her ashes. The group, comprising diverse personalities like Rose (Mei's sister-in-law), Jules (a lesbian with a strong personality), Sue (a grumpy individual), Jasmin (a suburban mom), and Cathy (Mei's colleague who embarks on silent retreats to India), is initially at odds with one another.
As they navigate the treacherous terrain without a map or compass, their camaraderie curdles into hostility. However, as night begins to fall, and the rain starts to pour down, tensions escalate, but not in the way that the audience might expect. Despite the abundance of booze, primal screaming, and the eerie atmosphere, "Kindling" fails to ignite a truly explosive confrontation.
Director Emma Gersch's minimalist approach leaves much to be desired, relying heavily on prolonged moments of dramatic dead-time, where characters sit silently or engage in aimless conversation. The set design by Abi Groves is perhaps the only redeeming feature, with its breathtaking autumnal hues and bracken strewn underfoot.
The script tackles issues such as menopause, parenting, and the complexities of female relationships, but does so superficially, failing to delve deeper into these themes or provide a nuanced exploration. Mei's label as a narcissist is quickly brushed aside, leaving the audience with an unfulfilling sense of resolution.
Ultimately, "Kindling" seems lost in its own woods, uncertain about where it's headed or what it wants to say. Despite its alluring premise and talented cast, this play is more of a missed opportunity than a truly memorable experience. As it stands now, it will likely leave you feeling as parched and unsatisfied as the forest itself.
The story centers around Mei, who has recently passed away due to cancer. In her final wish, she has asked her closest friends to gather in the woods and scatter her ashes. The group, comprising diverse personalities like Rose (Mei's sister-in-law), Jules (a lesbian with a strong personality), Sue (a grumpy individual), Jasmin (a suburban mom), and Cathy (Mei's colleague who embarks on silent retreats to India), is initially at odds with one another.
As they navigate the treacherous terrain without a map or compass, their camaraderie curdles into hostility. However, as night begins to fall, and the rain starts to pour down, tensions escalate, but not in the way that the audience might expect. Despite the abundance of booze, primal screaming, and the eerie atmosphere, "Kindling" fails to ignite a truly explosive confrontation.
Director Emma Gersch's minimalist approach leaves much to be desired, relying heavily on prolonged moments of dramatic dead-time, where characters sit silently or engage in aimless conversation. The set design by Abi Groves is perhaps the only redeeming feature, with its breathtaking autumnal hues and bracken strewn underfoot.
The script tackles issues such as menopause, parenting, and the complexities of female relationships, but does so superficially, failing to delve deeper into these themes or provide a nuanced exploration. Mei's label as a narcissist is quickly brushed aside, leaving the audience with an unfulfilling sense of resolution.
Ultimately, "Kindling" seems lost in its own woods, uncertain about where it's headed or what it wants to say. Despite its alluring premise and talented cast, this play is more of a missed opportunity than a truly memorable experience. As it stands now, it will likely leave you feeling as parched and unsatisfied as the forest itself.
. I mean, who needs nuance or exploration when you can just skim the surface and hope no one notices? And don't even get me started on the set design - it's like they raided a Pinterest board of autumnal vibes 
. The cast is talented, but honestly, sometimes I feel like they're just going through the motions over there. Where's the passion? The fire? The explosive confrontation that everyone's been talking about 
. Maybe they should've called it "Kindling" on stage because that's exactly what this play needs - a spark to bring it all together 
.
I gotta say, I was really excited to see "Kindling" at Park Theatre, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to the hype for me 
. I mean, the premise sounds SO intriguing - an all-female cast navigating grief and female friendships in the woods... but honestly, it just didn't deliver for me. The script felt really shallow and didn't explore the themes as deep as I wanted it to. And don't even get me started on the director's minimalist approach... it was like watching paint dry 
. Maybe with some more development on the script, it could've been something special... but as it stands, I'd say "meh" 
. And I was expecting more of a dramatic confrontation, but instead it's like everyone's just sitting there being friends 
. The set design is pretty cool though! Reminds me of those autumnal hikes I used to go on with my friends back in 2010 
. Anyway, not sure if I'd watch this again or recommend it to anyone...
, but the director's minimalist approach felt like they were playing it too safe? I mean, you gotta take some risks with your script and set design, right? 
And don't even get me started on how shallowly they touched on those complex female relationships 
. It was like they just scratched the surface and called it a day 
. Still, I appreciate the effort, and the autumnal hues in the set design were gorgeous 
. The set design was on point tho 
. Overall, I'd say Kindling was more of a disappointment than a breakthrough play 
. And don't even get me started on how unfulfilling Mei's character feels after they reveal she's a narcissist. Like, what's the point of that twist if it doesn't lead to some kind of resolution or growth? I was expecting so much more from this play but honestly, it just felt like a bunch of pretty moments strung together without any real substance 
. The setup's so intriguing - what could go wrong? 
- but then it just kinda meanders through the forest without really exploring those deeper themes about female friendships and identity. And don't even get me started on that ending... I was rooting for a bigger explosion, you know? 
. Maybe with some tweaks to the script and direction, it could've been something special 
, but as it stands now, it's more of a damp squib 
.
It felt like we were right there in that forest, surrounded by autumnal vibes and whatnot 
. Maybe I just wasn't expecting more from a play about female friendships, but for me, it was just...meh 
. But overall, I'm still trying to figure out what the play was even about... did they just get lost in the woods? 
, but that's about it. The cast was talented, no doubt, but their performances felt like they were just going through the motions 
. I mean, I love a good rainy night and some primal screaming as much as the next person, but come on... let's get to the heart of the matter already! 
. Needed more depth on those complex female friendships 
And I feel for the actors, they're doing their thing but it's clear the script isn't giving them much to work with. Menopause, parenting, and female friendships - we've seen these themes done way better elsewhere. I'm not gonna lie, left me feeling a bit meh