Amy Squirrell
An abrupt death. A rape. A glue factory full of slightly deranged people. Another death. The Kneejerk of Sloth sounds like grim viewing. But it’s not, really. Strangely endearing, this new work by Pelagie-May Green details the lives of four homeless people living in an abandoned glue factory, dealing with death within their own unique realities. The piece is a dreamlike take on living rough, alcohol addiction and loss.
It’s good to see Scarlet Sheriff of CT Theatre take centre stage as Shane after this year’s commendable but overshadowed performance in Chlorine. Her androgynous charm works well for the role of clown-like chatterbox Shane, who seems always tottering on the brink of madness. Similarly, Louise Skaaning as the mute Queenie, with her exaggerated movements and on-point comic timing is an asset to a show that has little substance in terms of plot.
What redeems The Kneejerk of Sloth is its physicality – it’s brilliantly choreographed, which gives the piece visual flair. The staging is very poetic too, softly lit and decorated with feathers and newspaper stars. Kind of like what you would imagine the floor to be littered with if you lived in an abandoned factory with three other people except, well, stylish.
Whilst it’s all very lovely, it smacks of a kind of middle class ignorance – its romanticising of homelessness and revolving issues feels a little naïve. Queenie’s rape is dealt with somewhat bizarrely. Its mention is sudden and we are unsure whether or not to believe that it took place in a dream, as we are told, which sort of calls into the question the necessity of its inclusion in the play. It doesn’t appear to further the plot much, and I’m not a fan of rape for dramatic effect, for obvious reasons.
The Kneejerk of Sloth can’t really be considered a down to earth look at anything; the gravity of it all is just overwhelmed by whimsy. But, that aside, it is enigmatic in a compelling kind of way. It’s a play that you may want to see more than once, if just for its ethereal beauty.
The Kneejerk of Sloth plays at ZOO on until 25 August 2014 as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. For more information and tickets visit the EdFringe website.