Glass House tells the captivating tale of a group of strangers on a bus on a rainy night on February 14th, 2011. The events that transpire reveal the many aspects of human nature, both light and dark, when faced with a a seemingly impossible situation to resolve—in this case, what to do when caught in the middle of a standoff between a bus driver and a houseless man who can’t afford to pay the bus fare.
Upon entering Olive Studio at Greenside George Street, the audience is met with a large stage space relative to the seating space; chairs on stage are arranged in the approximate position as those found on a bus, with the fabric found on bus chairs is attached to their frames. Although sourcing props is often difficult at the Fringe, the set still feels quite rough and ready—it’s certainly very basic. But, as will be revealed, the play takes place solely on a bus, so the space created on stage between actors effectively re-creates the proportions of a real bus (or, as close to that as possible given the nature of the venue).
Image credits: Reuben Eeves
The play is described as a ‘boundary-pushing mocku-theatre piece’, where the events of February 14th, 2011, unfold on stage, while voiceovers of the characters recounting their experiences play over the top of the action. While the interview format is interesting, as the audience we are left wondering why these characters are speaking in the pre-recorded interviews, and when and where they are taking place.
Through this format, we are introduced to the strange mixture of individuals, except for Eden (Rafael Griso), the houseless man whose presence on the bus triggers the conflict, and whose inner monologue we do not hear. However, Eden’s address to the audience, during which he details the various cruelties and injustices he’s faced, is extremely moving; Griso’s performance throughout was particularly impressive.
Image credits: Reuben Eeves
The voiceovers reveal the inner thoughts and feelings of the other characters that they would have felt unable to vocalise in front of the group. This is one of the most clever aspects of Glass House, deliberately bringing attention to the contrast between the various characters’ actions and their inner feelings, particularly in high-stress situations. The bumbling pensioner Colin (Charles Woldridge-Gordon) is the most fun character to watch, providing humour in dark moments and whose inner monologues are brilliantly delivered (‘how can you trust a man with a neckbeard?’ remains one of my favourite lines).
It’s really fascinating watching the various alliances and betrayals that emerge, between Colin, the aggressive and cynical Sarah (Marta Zalicka), the bus driver Owen (Joe Orrell) and Freya (May Daws). However, I couldn’t help but feel that the characters of Natalie (Madeleine Whitmore) and Calum (Harry Lloyd Yorke) did not have a clear part to play in the overall narrative; it would have been nice to see more being done with these characters, given the talent of the actors who play them. There are also moments when lines were lost, especially to those sitting farther back in the audience; I expect the overlapping speech was deliberate, in order to intensify the conflict, but besides this, there were points when I couldn’t hear much of what was being said at all.
Image credits: Reuben Eeves
The conflict in Glass House can be boiled down to how different people approach the dilemma of having to choose between empathy and trust, and selfishness and fear. But the play delves into other aspects of the human psyche alongside this, and presents a range of arguments that urge the audience to consider how, realistically, and driven by fear and frustration, they would deal with the standoff on the bus. Glass House has a cast of seriously talented actors who bring a compelling and unique story to life. It is clear that writer and director Charlie McGuire cares deeply about the subject matter, and it’s a great skill to be able to use his talent in order to bring attention to homelessness in the UK, and, specifically, the importance of empathy when approaching this issue.
4/5
Glass House is showing at Olive Studio at Greenside, George Street from Mon 18th – Sat 23rd August. Get your tickets here!
Glass House is partnering with Edinburgh-based charities Four Square and Steps to Hope. Profits from the production will be donated to both charities.
Featured image credit: Reuben Eeves
