‘They Wait in the Earth’ Durham Fringe review
‘They Wait in the Earth is successful in showcasing the beauty in restraint, unearthing truth from Arthurian myth and projecting it to audiences today.’
They Wait in the Earth, directed by River Blatch and assisted by Primavera Jones, immerses the audience in a fantasy Camelot brought to life through mesmerising aesthetics and a stellar cast. The production invites us to journey alongside Gawain, Percival, Lancelot, and Guinevere as they navigate both external dangers and inner turmoil, all while striving to return a stolen cauldron to their king. Blending folklore and striking visuals, the play transforms the stage into a world where magic and danger walk hand-in-hand.
The mythical forest comes to life under Carrie Cheung’s skillful vision, the many-eyed creature a palpable threat, with Nimueh’s otherworldly nature physically looming over the stage thanks to skilled craftsmanship producing a variety of props and breathtaking puppets. Together with Hamish Campbell’s masterful lighting and sound design, They Wait in the Earth leaves you struggling to escape the pull into its enchanted world.
Our main characters grapple with themes of loyalty and belonging, differing motivations presented with incredible nuance and interweaving relationships. Emma Henderson’s Guinevere commands the stage with a regal atmosphere, skillfully revealing the burden that her position can have in quiet moments with Ace Kamran, playing Lancelot, who earnestly explores the knight’s inner turmoil between duty and personal conviction. Opposing perspectives emerge through Matt Bacon's portrayal of Gawain, who defends the initial purpose of the quest with powerful dialogue and a charismatic stage presence, directing Harry Graves’ Percival into his cause. Graves crafts a wonderfully dimensional Percival, whose light-hearted nature and eagerness to prove himself as a knight catch your eye even in the quiet, restless moments between dialogue.
The forest’s eerie nature is captured thanks to the ensemble’s skilled physicality, transforming the stage into a shadowed forest where creatures lurk in every corner. Amongst them, Iphis Critchlow as Merlin is particularly outstanding, their commanding presence perfectly capturing the ominous nature of the character. Meanwhile, Moritz Afridi’s mesmerising enchantress Morgan le Fay leaves you holding your breath for the character’s next move. The audience’s presumptions ofthe forest are subverted through Rob Gomulak’s King and Beau Singleton’s Nimueh, performances aided by astounding puppetry, as what was initially a malevolent force, at least in the knights’ eyes, morphs into something far more complex: a realm defending its stolen magic. Through the help of the moving ensemble, the stage breathes with life.
In Henderson’s quiet yearning and Kamran’s struggle with loyalty, their chemistry manifests into a romance that aches with possibility. But perhaps that is the shining part of the production; whether in the crushing embrace of a mother and daughter separated once more, or siblings of choice torn by ideological divides, They Wait in the Earth is successful in showcasing the beauty in restraint, unearthing truth from Arthurian myth and projecting it to audiences today.
By Kamilė Oakes.
They Wait in the Earth is showing on Friday 25th July at 18:30, at the Studio, Gala Theatre.