Review: Foreverland, Southwark Playhouse Borough
05/10/2024
If medical science made it possible to live forever, frozen at the age you have the procedure, would you do it? The ability to stay young and live way beyond what is normal is the premise of Emma Hemingford's play Foreverland at the Southwark Playhouse Borough.
The idea is explored through the life of teacher Alice (Emma McDonald) and her entrepreneur husband Jay (Christopher York), who pass the criteria and, crucially, have the money to undertake the procedure.
Attracted by the idea of fulfilling their dreams and leading the perfect life where time is on their side, they put last-minute nerves to one side and go ahead.
The future world in which this play is set is kept mostly at arm's length in the first half of the play as it focuses on Alice and Jay's relationship. Given that they don't age, it is difficult to tell how much time is passing as the narrative cycles through snippets of their daily lives until the arrival of their daughter Annie (Emily Butler).
It seems like they are indeed living their dream life, except there are hints that all is not content; time doesn't erase the past, it seems. And Annie grows up (Una Byrne) and sees things differently from her parents.
The adult Annie brings the outside world into their 'fulfilling' lives and shines a different light on the procedure and its implications for society. However this comes quite late in the story to generate much of a debate.
Emma McDonald and Christopher York make for a charming couple as Alice and Jay, but like the future world, the challenges in their relationship feel like they are held at arm's length.
Foreverland is a really interesting concept, but it lingers a little too long in the less interesting set-up and dances around the relationship and 'immortality' themes. As a result, when the challenges come, it fails to land any real punches.
It made me think but left me wanting to dive into the topic in more depth. I'm giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Foreverland, Southwark Playhouse Borough
Written by Emma Hemingford
Directed by Frederick Wienand
Starring Emma McDonald and Christopher York
Running time: 90 minutes without an interval.
Booking until 19 October; for more information and to buy tickets, visit the Southwark Playhouse website.
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