New Diorama Theatre, London – until 9 April 2016
Focusing on the competitive side of working in the finance industry, Engineer Theatre Collective’s Run is fast, believable and clinically delivered by the cast.
Run follows four young interns working in a high end bank and throughout the production reveal just how far they are willing to go to get a permanent job. Developed with the help of interviews with those working in the financial industry, Engineer Theatre Collective have created a show which shows the high pressure nature of working in this particular sector.
The production co-directed by Jesse Fox and Simon Lyshon, is sharp and focused from beginning to end, reflecting the pressure of wanting to do the job better than anyone else but also the pressure that each individual puts on themselves at the sacrifice of the other elements of their lives.
When the audience meets all four characters, there is immediately a sense of tension and competitiveness that is masked initially beneath humour but soon reveals the characters true colours.
All of the characters have very different attitudes towards the job: Anna (Gabriella Margulies) is very materialistic and driven, Lawrence (Al Jarrett) is cocky and confident, Tim (Joseph Sentance) is uncertain of himself and whether this is what he really wants and Caroline (Charlotte Watson) seems to feel a bit of an outsider who has had to really work to get there.
It is a slow burning production, that sees each individual unravel and it is intriguing to see the way in which the characters deal with their pressure, leading to audiences questioning is the job worth these individuals sacrificing their lives for?
While all four actors perform well, it feels as though the audience is emotionally disconnected from the characters themselves, making it difficult to really appreciate what they are going through. The standout performances come from Gabriella Margulies as the independent and driven Anna – whose individual story feels as though it is less developed in comparison to the others and Al Jarrett as Lawrence, who comes across as arrogant but in reality is vulnerable and insecure about his position and who comes the furthest in self-discovery. But all four actors compliment each other well, with great understanding of their roles and those characters around them.
The entire production feels clinical and each scene gives a snap shot into the daily routine these interns go through – very clever, but it means that it takes a while for character development to happen and for the production to settle down.
But despite this, it is an interesting and well developed piece of drama that provides an interesting insight into the financial industry.
Run appears at the New Diorama Theatre until the 9th April. For more information and to book tickets visit: http://newdiorama.com/whats-on/run.
