“It’s out of this world good” read the text from my cousin, telling
me she’d bought me a ticket for 1927’s production of Golem, at Trafalgar Studios. The show had recently transferred from
the Young Vic, and I knew nothing about it, except for the fact I now had a
ticket.
Golem is a parable
for our times, adapting the Jewish folk tale of the “golem”, a clay man bought
to life to obey man’s demands, and applying it to a culture of technological
dependence, capitalism and self-obsession. It follows the story of Robert
Robertson (Shamira Turner), the most average everyman you could imagine, who
works “backing up the backup” in a drab, rainy town. On an impulse, he purchases
the latest gadget, a golem who will do Robert’s bidding. Soon Golem develops
his own voice and starts to make decisions on Robert’s behalf; as this
obedience morphs into complete control, our everyman is sucked into a world
where he is never satisfied, where he must keep spending, where he must “move
with the times or be left behind”.
From the opening scene, you know this show is different. The
bold yet intricate animation, projected onto the stage and providing set and
some characters is beautiful – rich in sepia hues, and filled with witty
blink-and-you’ll-miss it illustrations. Yes, the hypocrisy of a show criticising
technology relying on technology is unavoidable, and the message is hammered
home perhaps too strongly at times, but the artistry involved makes that
forgivable. And the music, a jaunty drums and piano duet performed live by two
cast members (Will Close and Lillian Henley), is superb.
In a West End with ever-rising ticket prices and where big
name musicals are closing after short runs, to see something so vibrant and
original, which relishes in its sheer creativity is a joy. Sadly the run has
now finished, but I’d recommend keeping an eye out on 1927, and seeing what
they do next.
– Maddy
