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REVIEW | The House Party, - UK Tour, Bristol Old Vic
- Harry Brogan
- Apr 25
- 2 min read
AD | Ticket gifted in exchange of an honest review
Laura Lomas' play, The House Party, follows the 18th birthday party of Julie and the unravelling truths that are discovered between her, her best friend Christine and Christine's boyfriend, Jon. The production is filled with bright lights and upbeat music, and a great set, that doesn't overshadow the heartbreak and sorrow that is created by the end of the play.
The show's running time is around 1 hour 30 minutes with the pace for this show being just perfect. The entire plot had me drawn in, Lomas' constantly throws more barriers for the characters while not overcrowding the amount of new ideas for the audience to digest. Lomas' plot is relatable, for anyone of a younger generation who has lived to experience these kinds of house parties and also the drama that surrounds college-aged teenagers.
Leading the cast are Sesley Hope as Christine and Synnøve Karlsen as Julie. They created a realistic and relatable bond as best friends from the very beginning. Julie's gradual change throughout the play is very well depicted by Karlsen, making the audience feel sorry for her as the story unravels. Hope's depiction of Christine portrays the responsibility that the character constantly feels for Julie, even if something much more important is standing in front of her. Tom Lewis plays the character of Jon, the only other named character in the story. Lewis perfectly creates the emotions which the audience should feel for him and the other characters, creating the driving force and main barriers within the plot.
Loren Elstein's set design was perfect for this play. The glass window in the background for the flashbacks and visions, and the layered house design made the play even more enjoyable. The final scene being placed on the kitchen counter to show the location change was very clever, with the support of the digital clock which constantly ticked forward from the very beginning of the play to the end. The set design was paired very well with the lighting design by Joshua Pharo. The scene changes being covered by a large wave of dancing party guests and flashing lights worked very well, reminding the audience of the chaos that is taking place at the same time as the asides in the kitchen with the main characters.
Overall, The House Party was a party of a production, with a captivating and heartbreaking plot. Definitely a 5 star hit! The entire cast was just perfect, and the characters felt very realistic and relatable. While the play portray's a certain generation, many audience members will enjoy this play as the message behind it can relate to so many.
★★★★★
The House Party runs at Bristol Old Vic until 3rd May before concluding its tour at Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.
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