Review: I DO, Dante or Die - Malmaison London

Photo credit: Greta Zabulyte

As part of the Barbican’s Scene Change season, Dante or Die’s I Do returns on its 20 year anniversary to deliver a masterclass in immersive theatre. The Malmaison Hotel, London, is the location for the nuptials of Georgina (Carla Langley) and Tunde (Dauda Ladejobi). The audience is invited to be a fly on the (hotel) wall in the lead-up to the ceremony, to witness the chaos, laughter, love and confusion, found on many a wedding morning.

Separated into small groups, the audience is ushered in and out of different hotel rooms, to observe the main characters in the ten minute window prior to wedlock. The groups then rotate, ultimately visiting all six rooms in turn. With tidbits and secrets behind every door, the groups experience each room in a different order, whilst pulling together the strands of the story. The quick turnaround between rooms is managed via a cleaner (Rowena LePoer Trench), rewinding past the audience in the corridors. These sections are a little awkward, and intentionally repetitive, but act as a useful palate cleanser between each segment.

Whilst the emotionally charged plot is fairly straightforward, the complexity lies in the setting and logistics. With well thought out details in every room (with seating plans, tights, medication and TCP helping to set the scene), the distinctiveness of this piece is found in the proximity. The company are using the hotel rooms authentically; darting around; looking in cupboards; getting dressed; brushing their teeth and the like. Whilst the audience do not participate (and in fact, are explicitly asked not to), there is a level of involvement solely due to the closeness of the cast, a hair’s breadth away at any given moment. This adds an intensely intimate air. At such close-quarters, you’re able to more easily witness events through the eyes of the characters- seeing; hearing; and smelling what they do, which is a uniquely exhilarating way to experience theatre.

The jewel in this innovative crown is the cast. From Joe’s (Manish Gandhi) hilariously frantic speech practice to the Grandparents’ (Geoff Atwell and Fiona Watson) heartbreaking preparations, the performances are all delivered as though they aren’t being watched. The cast seamlessly manage to repeat moves between rooms and corridors without any hint that the performance has just been repeated six times, with the final room just as impactful as the first.

Whilst offering a peek behind the closed doors of the hotel, I Do also provides a snapshot of the fractured relationships, love, and unspoken feelings found under the surface in this, and many families, all magnified under a voyeuristic lens. I Do is a people watcher’s dream.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Cara Brazier

I Do plays at Malmaison London until 8 February, with further info here.