Apex Predator at Hampstead Theatre. Photo by Ellie Kurttz.Blanche McIntyre returns to Hampstead following her recent acclaimed production of Stoppard’s The Invention of Love. Here, a very different style of presentation still manages to capitalise on the director’s innate understanding of humour, but it is deployed and delivered via a blunter tool in John Donnelly’s only partly successful tale.
A mother Mia (Sophie Melville) still nursing her five month old daughter, feels the weight of the urban landscape on her shoulders. Unable to sleep due to the thoughtlessness of neighbours and a general feeling of unease at the anger and aggression prevalent in the world, she struggles to maintain the relationship with her partner Joe (Bryan Dick) who works nights monitoring chat rooms for the security services. His hush hush role adds further unease to the couple’s situation, until he eventually reveals that he is charged with searching for signs of potential murderers after a recent spate of killings and the discovery of bloodless bodies in the Thames.
When Mia’s son Alfie (Callum Knowelden/Lorcan Reilly) exhibits signs of violence towards another pupil at school, Mia’s protective instincts kick-in and she challenges the perception of events which led to him biting a classmate. This brings her into contact with Ana (Laura Whitmore) the naturally charming and persuasive teacher who sees promise in Alfie’s artwork and offers a sympathetic and understanding ear for Mia to offload her woes. Thereafter, the women enter into a form of blood pact and events take a somewhat predictable turn as the play lines-up a sequence of male victims (all delivered with playful gusto by chameleon-like Leander Deeny).
Insofar as the piece offers a vampire-based storyline, it would be churlish to require much more than a few chilling moments and the occasional sight of blood stained fixtures and fittings. However, the denouement includes a momentary glimpse at a potential alternate ending. As a reviewer, I can’t help wondering just how many members of the audience (like me) would have found it an infinitely more stark and harrowing conclusion than the cop-out piece of silliness which was presented. At least the actors should take pride that they acquit themselves well and the set, lighting and sound design teams commit valuable contributions in creating the overall cityscape.
Plays at Hampstead Theatre (nearest tube: Swiss Cottage) until 26th April.
