Review: Foreverland (Southwark Playhouse Borough)

Review by Eavan Prenter

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In writing a play about living forever, Emma Hemingford has taken the biggest elephant in the room - that we will all die someday - and plonked it in the middle of the stage (metaphorically, not literally - please do not complain that there was no elephant when you went). That’s exactly what has happened in Foreverland at Southwark Playhouse which allows us to spend 90 minutes watching her characters prod it, avoid it, cast it aside, dance around it and face it head on. In the hands of a less talented writer the result could have been heavy, overwrought, or overly complicated, but Hemingford’s tight script, beautifully brought to life by the talented company at Southwark Playhouse, brings the big question back to earth with a warmth and an honesty that is rare on any stage.

The play starts with a decision: will the central couple, Alice and Jay undergo a medical procedure to extend their lifespan indefinitely? It’s clear that the author does not see this as fantasy, but rather a possible, maybe even probable outcome of the trajectory we are currently on - in the opening scene Alice lists various examples of stem cell therapies from the 2010s and describes in detail the science behind the treatment. I’ve forgotten too much of my GCSE Science to be able to repeat it, but it sounded very convincing and the important thing for the story is that the result is that their bodies are effectively frozen at their current age.

Needless to say, they decide to have the treatment and the subsequent action centers on Alice and Jay’s life and their changing attitudes following treatment. Through snapshots of their day-to-day, we see Alice’s initial nervousness give way to joy at being able to travel and learn new languages; while Jay finds relief from his restless ambition. They still go to work like everyone else, but they can take more time off, spend more time with each other, and devote more attention to their new baby.

Hemingford has a great ear for natural dialogue and the humour of everyday speech which gives the script lightness and pace. Frederick Wienand’s direction builds on this, giving the play flow and grounding it in reality, while Emma McDonald as Alice and Christopher York as Jay have fantastic chemistry. Individually, they each play their parts with depth and naturalistic nuance but the real treat is watching the ease with which they interact as a couple. Add into the mix Emily Butler’s fantastic performance as their young daughter, Annie and the result is a family dynamic which is totally believable.

A stand out moment for me was when Annie practises a presentation for school about the lifecycle of a butterfly. Aside from the obvious relevance of a lifecycle to the story, I enjoyed how the image of a chrysalis or a cocoon was used throughout the play. The production was staged in The Little at Southwark Playhouse which gives you a good idea of the size of the space and Peiyao Wang’s simple set with thrust stage in a warm shade of rust and long curtain at the back enhanced the idea of the family enclosed in their own bubble.

It probably won’t surprise you to know that the bubble doesn’t keep the family safe and happy forever. Time moves on even as they stay the same, and Alice and Jay struggle with the challenges of their endless existence, including finding purpose and staying in a relationship with someone for longer than ever before. With average life expectancy and retirement ages increasing, these questions feel just as relevant for 2024 as they do in Hemingford’s near future. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the average life expectancy in England was around 36, so marrying someone at 18 meant being with them for 18 years. Today, marrying someone at 30 could mean being with them for 60, even 70 years; and who knows at what age people starting work today will retire? 

In the end, it’s Annie that is the catalyst for Alice and Jay to confront the elephant. Played by Una Byrne, she returns as a grown woman on the brink of deciding whether to have the same life-extending treatment and forces her parents to reckon with how they have lived their lives - devoid of the purpose of a deadline and yet with the fear of death still in the room. The climax of the play, this scene had some excellent writing and acting - particularly from Valerie Antwi playing Dr Lane with both perfect comic timing and also pathos when talking about the death of her mother - but for me it lacked some of the naturalness of the earlier dialogue. Whether through writing or direction, the dialogue all became a bit shouty with the result that I felt suddenly aware of watching a play rather than being inside the story. This was a real shame because until then I’d been completely absorbed.

Thankfully, the closing scene brought me back with a beautiful performance by Emma McDonald as the curtain of the cocoon was finally pulled away and Alice reminded us what we’d been told in the beginning - it was all for Annie, it was all for love. If the dramatic climax is the confrontation with grown-up Annie, then the emotional heart of the play is the moment Annie is born. Cleverly staged using just light (designed by Lily Woodford) and sound (by Jamie Lu), it felt like a moment of pure happiness for Alice and Jay. The ending of the play tied back to that scene as Alice sang the same lullaby - My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.

In many ways Foreverland reminded me of About Time, my personal favourite film about time travel – although it is different in plot and tone, there were several similarities between the two. Both start with seemingly complicated premises, but in the end both are about love and life and how we spend it. In dealing with these themes, Hemingford has pulled off that rare thing of writing a play that is incredibly relevant to today and at the same time utterly timeless; and this production more than does it justice.

Foreverland plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 19th October. Tickets from www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photos by Charlie Lyne