Arlington at The Abbey
Arlington is a thoroughly strange story of parts. That is to say, the audience only ever get part of the story. How you feel about that is how you are to feel about the performance as a whole.
The story of a woman, Isla, left in a room, waiting to leave, is certainly a compelling one. The setting of a generic waiting room and the vagueness of the timeframe grounds the bizarre nature of the piece, while the score lacks a certain degree of subtlety, it only serves to add to the unusual setting.
Though the entirety of the play is set in two rooms, there is a distinct lack of the expected claustrophobia, replaced instead with a sense that these rooms are, in fact, the whole world. Although this tone was certainly interesting, it detracted from later developments.
The first act is a beautiful combination of charming back-and-forth between Isla and the man who watches over her, with unsettling outbursts. The positivity of what seems to be Isla’s every day is masterfully balanced with the sinister tones of background events and story. Had this equilibrium been maintained, I would have found Arlington to be more of a delight.
The highlight of the play, without a doubt, was the gorgeous dance sequence performed by Oona Doherty, which separates the engaging, artistically chaotic first act from the more rushed and less satisfying second. This character, without speaking or appearing onstage at any other time, informs the story more than the entirety of the dialogue. I would easily recommend the play on the merits of this section alone.
Unfortunately, the second act seemed in a rush to get to the end, with a string of events occurring without breathing room and somewhat disjointedly. Paradoxically, I found that, the more the world outside the room was brought to light, the less sense it seemed to make. I left with a slight suspicion that more questions had been asked than answered, but perhaps that was the point?
All this being said, Arlington seemed to offer something for everyone. Fans of thrillers, dance, and comedy alike will enjoy it immensely.
