Fringe Review: THERMODRAMA, Old Lab at Summerhall
Lovelock Productions bring their play Thermodrama to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The play is set in a sauna that comes to be shared by a group of people who all have conflicting personalities and intentions for their time spent in the sauna. As the temperatures rise, so do tensions between the group before things come to a surprising climax.
Coco Cottam’s play makes some interesting commentary on wellness culture. Is it just something to impress others? How much is too much to care about yourself? It never quite lands any particular message strongly though. What the play does do though is provide space for a talented company of actors to shine.
The stars of the show are Camilla Anvar and Aiyana Bartlett. Anvar showcases great comic timing throughout the play. Her not-so-subtle flirtation with Matt Loane is in equal parts awkward and endearing. Bartlett brings lots of energy to the stage - trying to forget about the accident she’s been involved in that morning by forcing herself to have fun.
Matt Loane portrays his fitness and wellness obsessed character wonderfully. He’s clearly got some pain and struggles that he’s trying to suppress, but we never fully discover what might have happened in his past. He plays both calmness and intensity and passion brilliantly. Luke Nixon is intriguing in his role. He is perfectly threatening but is the character that seems to get the least development of the group.
Carmen Neat’s set design transports us into a sauna very well, with lots of steam included! The restricted playing space clearly outlined adds to the claustrophobic feeling as tensions rise. Ice Dob’s sound design helps to build the tension well, often by contrasting conflict with the calming music playing.
Thermodrama provides space for some talented actors to show off what they can do. Whilst there’s space for some further development to really make every plot point and message land with impact, it’s still well worth a watch.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jacob Bush