Red Pill

In #RedPill, Blue Bar Productions takes us on a shadowy journey through the manosphere🧑‍💻 Penned by Sam Went & directed by Beth Drury, this chilling #political tragedy explores the alt-right movement in the digital era, post #Gamergate…

🤩The good: The story centres on Chris, played with a poignant naivety by Alex Ansdell. He's a young man whose romantic rejection sends him spiralling into the clutches of online extremism💔💻 Through the ensemble’s absorbing, committed performances, the play captures the alarming ease with which vulnerable youth can be seduced by extremist ideologies…

🤔The iffy: However, #RedPill teeters precariously on the brink of its own ambitious intent. Its attempt at #satire strays uncomfortably close to echoing the very ideologies it seeks to dismantle💬🗣️🔊 The dialogue is rife with potent sexist, racist, fascist rhetoric (think Andrew Tate meets Mussolini) & at times you question whether the satire has moved from commentary to inadvertent projection of these ideas…

A key structural element is the distinction between #online & real-world interactions, marked by a clicking sound effect & live stage projections. This concept, while innovative, leads to a jarring disparity in performances. The actors, particularly in the online scenes, seem confined within a rigid, almost formulaic delivery…

👀The lingering: The invitation to 'take the red pill' is a visceral metaphor for entering the #Matrix of alt-right extremism💊 It raises important questions & sparks conversation, but its execution falters, blurring the line between critique & mere replication↔️ It leaves us reflecting on the purpose & responsibilities of political theatre— what are best practices? What are the risks?

In all, #RedPill is a valiant production but one that leaves much room for introspection & refinement. 2/5⭐

#londontheatre #fringetheatre #camden #kentishtown #thelionandunicorntheatre