Doors. Walls. And also silence. BATS, 2 September 2010

DOORS. WALLS. AND ALSO SILENCE. shares a theatre space with Distraction Camp, and it’s hard not to feel like this is to the former’s detriment – both have elaborate sets, but DWAAS’ is forced to nestle uncomfortably atop Distraction Camp’s awkwardly shaped dance floor – effectively seem to be denied the opportunity to use BATS’ space to its full extent.

To an audience that hasn’t also seen Distraction Camp, this might seem like something of a bum note in DWAAS’ impressive production design – unfortunate, because it really is creative, if deceptively simple; a series of differently sized doors stand in for walls, a fridge, a hot tub, and even, well, doors at various times. Some of the doors have a great gimmick (they’re not as solid as they seem) that I wish I’d thought of first, and that I wish that they’d made much more use of.

DOORS. WALLS. AND ALSO SILENCE. features some convincing and often hilarious performances. Paul Waggott in particular deserves to be singled out for investing superb comic timing alongside thoroughly believable pathos into his multiple roles. Despite some attempts early on to convince us otherwise, however, the play’s narrative turns out to be relatively straightforward, albeit broken up by frequent diversions into physical theatre.

Some of these elements of physicality are inspired (setting the parties to a “staff meeting” on either side of the stage, with a massive dark gulf between them, works wonderfully); however some, for me at least, were less successful (for example a flashback scene where all of the participants were lying on their sides).

DWAAS is the second outing for my accomplice, a theatre company who made their debut earlier this year with “Sometimes I Don’t Like Yellow”, for which they were nominated for a Fringe Award. There’s certainly no shortage of creativity within the group – I’ll be awaiting their next production with interest.

DOORS. WALLS. AND ALSO SILENCE. runs at BATS until 11 September 2010.