Card Houses | Harrison Mills & Anywhere Festival
Last night, I got to ‘time travel’ to experience COVID lockdown again - luckily not literally.
Presented by Harrison Mills and Anywhere Festival, Card Houses is an immersive, site-specific theatre production that physically invites you into the world of the story.
In addition to the stress of a three-day lockdown during the pandemic, the show explores the frustrations that the two polar opposites Gen Z strangers encounter while housesitting together.
The immersive experience began shortly after I arrived at the front yard of the House Conspiracy space in West End when one of the characters, Julies, took me up the stairs into the house. I have to say that having a small audience last night made the experience more personal LOL. This interactive hyper-realistic setting made me feel like I was playing a role in the show. It was as if I was one of their friends or a stranger showing up in the house, or a journalist following through their story - depends on how you view it.
As an immersive show, the entire house was the stage, with every day furniture and written cards all over the walls. Audience members could freely move around to fully immerse themselves in the environment as multiple scenes took place in different rooms. The great use of setting and space made transitions between scenes smooth and effective.
The chemistry and the dynamics between the actors were also brilliant. From their intense fight to a heart-felted conversation, the pacing was well performed throughout, which ultimately drew me deeper into their inner world. One emotional scene that stood out to me was the vulnerable interactions between Julies and Mason, where Julies was standing at a corner of the living room, while Mason was lying on the floor at the opposite corner. This not only contrasted Julies’ bold, strong-opinionated personality and Mason’s easy-going character, but transformed the entire relationship between the two adolescents.
The plot revealed some inconvenient issues that people faced during previous lockdowns: having to order food delivery only to find out the Uber driver ate their fries; having no Wi-Fi and TV; finding things in the house for entertainment, a week before Christmas with no trees, no music, no family.
Moreover, it shone a spotlight on the challenges and the questions we all faced during COVID, with moments of sincerity that added real depth and emotion: “When was the last time you danced in the rain?”, “What do you want in life?” I personally found it thought-provoking and quite relatable, partially reminded me my own experiences in lockdown and as a young adult.
Overall, a cleverly written, and unique theatre experience. Highly recommended.
Card Houses plays at House Conspiracy, West End until 20 May 2023.
