ED2015 3/5 Reviews ED2015 Theatre Reviews

Clickbait (The Red Chair Players)

By Andy Leask | Published on Thursday 13 August 2015

An insightful exploration of the fame – and infamy – that going viral can bring, this new work speaks directly to contemporary online experience. Kony, ice-bucket challenges and #bringbackourgirls are all referenced in this fictional depiction of a viral phenomenon blowing up around a teenager with a debilitating medical condition. Though there’s lots to love in the confident performances and engaging script, I found the frequent scene changes interrupted the narrative flow. Perhaps that was intentional, reflecting society’s consumption of media in vine-sized chunks, but I found it off-putting. Overall, there’s something oddly reassuring in seeing a group of teenagers so clearly aware both of the dangers of the internet and the fundamental flaws in human nature.

C, until 15 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Andrew Leask]