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ED2018 2/5 Reviews ED2018 Theatre Reviews
Darlings (Palomar Theatre)
By Andy Leask | Published on Saturday 11 August 2018
Despite believable performances, ‘Darlings’ doesn’t quite come together as a coherent offering. It follows Eve, a young woman who is haunted by her childhood insecurities. There are a number of intriguingly surreal episodes, flights of fantasy puncturing the tense, kitchen-sink drama, and some interesting staging. But, much like the narrative, it doesn’t quite connect. Take the puppets, manifestations of the characters’ childhood traumas: their creepy, hollow eye sockets are unnerving, and this undermines the intended pathos, leaving the audience confused and conflicted. The conclusion is similarly afflicted, ending on a lazy cliffhanger, rather than confirming whether Eve has grown, or relapsed into alcoholism. There is potential here, but the script is not up to the quality of the actors.
C Aquila, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Andy Leask]
