SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 12, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — How far would you go to acquire the home of your dreams? This thorny, timely question is at the heart of “Radiant Vermin,” by English playwright Philip Ridley, which is currently playing in a limited run at Salt Lake Acting Company.
SLAC, in collaboration with Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory, is presenting the show in its Chapel Theater at 168 W. 500 North from Jan. 11 to Jan. 14. There are shows tonight and tomorrow, Jan. 12 and Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m., then two shows Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. For tickets click here.
The piece is the inaugural work of SLAC’s new Making Space for Artists program. Through this initiative, artists are given access to the company’s historic building, the use of two theater spaces, technical equipment, and ticketing services.
Originally produced as a University of Utah senior project in the Actor Training Program, “Radiant Vermin” aims to raise awareness of Salt Lake City’s growing unsheltered crisis and galvanize audiences into taking action.
Ridley is both popular and controversial in his home country; he has been called a “pioneer of in-yer-face theater” which is a style and sensibility of drama that characterised many new plays that were performed in the U.K. during the 1990s. The show was first staged in Bristol, England, then opened in London’s West End in 2015. It was performed in New York the following year as part of the Brits Off Broadway Festival, but hasn’t been produced in Utah until now.
As the show begins, we meet a perky young English couple, Jill and Ollie, who have that ebullient, newlywed shine, and are expecting their first baby. In a scenario that is imminently relatable in 2024, the pair, who have been living in a tiny flat, want a nice home in which to raise their growing family, but they can’t afford it… or can they? Enter the mysterious Miss Dee, a real estate agent who seems to know a disconcerting amount about their lives, and who offers them a spacious but dilapidated home, for free.
The only catch is that the home lacks such basics as water and electricity, and it is assumed that the couple will fix it up, thus contributing to the gentrification of the run-down neighborhood. Later that night, Ollie accidently kills a local vagrant who has entered their new home. The mystery of the residence grows when the body disappears, and suddenly, the kitchen of Jill’s dreams materializes, complete with a fridge filled with posh food that re-stocks itself each time they remove an item. We then observe Jill and Ollie slowly realize the power of their new abode, with its ability to transform into exactly what they crave. They can even upgrade their garden and their car! It’s easy! One dead homeless person, individuals they nickname as “renovations,” equals another perfect room. This dark fairytale is a meditation on how far we will go to satisfy — and justify — materialistic greed, and whether those on that path are ever truly satisfied.
The play, which is directed by Camden Barrett, features Mack Barr, Sophie White, Caro Ciet, and Griz Siebeneck. White has already graduated from the ATP, along with Barr. Barrett, Ciet, and Siebeneck are currently seniors in the program.
It’s rather essential that we are at least somewhat sympathetic to Jill and Ollie, and their actions, because the aim of the play is that we are led to ruminate on whether in their position we would do the same thing. And White as Jill and Barr as Ollie achieve that beautifully; they are charming, funny, zany, and go to great lengths to persuade the audience to agree with the path they take. And of course, they are eminently relatable; Jill is a little prissy and bossy, and definitely wears the pants in the relationship, while Ollie is hapless and a bit nerdy. And as you would perhaps expect, the impetus to continue with their sinister scheme is at times spearheaded by Jill and at times by Ollie. One of the most striking scenes of the play is a speech where Jill expresses her wholesome, compassionate beliefs. Gradually, however, a ruthless, manic edge takes over as she starts spout common prejudices against the unsheltered until she has persuaded herself that their actions are justified.
Both White and Barr have the heavy loads in the play; the set is absolutely basic and there are no props, so we depend on the two to describe every detail so their world comes alive and use their bodies to further tell the story. There’s a particularly challenging scene towards the end of the play when White and Barr play not only Jill and Ollie but every single one of their neighbors, who all have different British and Irish dialects, and the actors do not miss a beat. Their physical comedy, particularly Barr’s, is outstanding, and the show is unexpectedly hilarious, which of course also messes with the audiences’ minds a bit, because we’re laughing merrily at this incredibly sinister situation.
Ciet is also excellent as Miss Dee; I saw them in “As You Like It” at the U last March and they are an intriguing actor you can’t take your eyes off with a sophisticated command of physical comedy, and who makes striking choices in their work. Miss Dee is not a large role, but Ciet plays her with a bold intensity. Her Miss Dee is beguiling and strange, with a habit of gazing in the opposite direction of the person she is addressing. Dressed top to toe in black and red, with spiky black heels, she is like a malevolent but enticing black widow.
The actor who plays Miss Dee usually also plays Kay, a 15-year-old homeless woman lured to the couple’s home to be killed in order to transform their nursery, who tells them, rather chillingly, that she’s heard rumors about what Ollie and Jill might be up to. Kay bonds a little with Jill, and her story is utterly heartbreaking, as is her unexpected response to the couple when she realizes their intentions. In this version, Kay is played by Siebeneck. In a show that’s at times in-yer-face and over-the-top, Siebeneck’s understated, contained portrayal of Kay causes us to crash back down to earth as the reality of what Jill and Ollie are doing really sets in. Kay exudes sorrow and tenderness, and the story she tells of why she became unsheltered feels like a stab straight to the heart. It’s as if she is translucent, a human being disappearing before our eyes, and even more tragically, she’s ready to disappear.
Barrett, the show’s director, does an excellent job of creating a wonderful sense of playfulness in their actors; across the board, their performances have a charming verve and enthusiasm. There’s a sense of freedom to their performances, but at the same time, they hit every emotional beat with absolute commitment and precision. It was also exciting and invigorating to me to watch a show in a professional setting but that has been created from top to toe by young, fresh talents. More of this, in the Salt Lake theater scene please!
The production values are incredibly simple, so as not to detract from the play’s themes and the actors’ performances. There are no set, costume, props or lighting designers credited in the program. The set consists of sheet-draped furniture, and a couple of boxes, as if the characters are existing in some kind of moving-house purgatory. The sheets at times serve as props ranging from the couple’s baby to a Lamborghini. Interestingly though, because there is virtually no set and no real props other than Miss Dee’s handbag and the notorious contract, there is also the suggestion that all the things that Jill and Ollie are acquiring; the beautiful rooms, the pristine garden, the flashy car, are somehow transitory and may not really exist at all. Material wealth, it is implied, is ephemeral. The costumes are basic but serve their purpose; same for the lighting, which does not change throughout the show. The dialect coaching, by Sarah Shippobotham, is flawless, particularly, as I mentioned before, in the scene where we meet all the neighbors, which showcases a delightful smorgasbord of different British and Irish dialects.
The other element that is in place for this production is a set of philanthropic goals. The play’s relevance is emphasized by a 10% increase in newly unhoused individuals in fiscal 2022, as per data from the Utah Office of Homeless Services. During the original run at the U, pamphlets were distributed, encouraging people to donate and volunteer, and donations were accepted. The same goes for the run at SLAC. The production company has pledged to donate a portion of ticket sales to The Inn Between, which provides hospice care to the unsheltered in Salt Lake City, and will also accept in-kind donations for the 4th Street Clinic. Further, in the lobby, there are places for audiences to scan QR codes for more information. Towards the end of the play too, each member of the audience is given a “contract,” which says: “The following contract is a pledge that you will make a conscious effort to help solve Utah’s homelessness issue in whatever capacity you are able to.” There are then facts about the unsheltered crisis in Salt Lake City, as well as a list of ways to make a difference and a QR code that gives one easy access to relevant donation pages, articles, accounts and podcasts.
All in all, this production of “Radiant Vermin” is a piece of theater that is utterly original, intelligent, and not just thought-provoking, but action provoking. It has elements that will appeal to every theater-goer; it’s a pitch-black comedy thriller with liberal sprinklings of political satire, horror, and even a broad music hall vibe at times. The run is short, and I encourage everyone with a social conscience to clear a space in their weekend schedule to see it.
For more information about “Radiant Vermin,” click here.
