A nest of emotions

Date- November 13, 2024

Theatre - The Other Palace

Seat- Unreserved

Stars - 3 1/2

Gifted By Ellie Davies

TW-Depression/ Grief

The show is set around Saskia (Eleanor) visiting her sister Sara (Flo) with her boyfriend Mark for the anniversary of 1 year after their mother died. This anniversary doesn't go quite as Saskia had hoped, with the idea that she had done most of the planning. Sara forgot to invite people, and Saskia brought an odd-shaped balloon. The sisters start to fall out and send Mark out for nuts; is this a good idea? Probably not. This is when Saskia delivers some devastating news to Sara. Sara feels betrayed not just for herself but also for Mark.

The costumes were nothing special but also helped you delve into and understand the characters on a deeper level. The younger sister Sara was in very comfortable casual wear to explore the symbolism of depression and the idea that she is stuck in a sort of spiral. Meanwhile, on the other side, you have Saskia in suit attire, a metaphor for her life being stable with everything planned out for her. Mark's costume is more of a mask than a symbol of what he is like as a character. On one side, you have his fun, outdoorsy persona while he wears sports kit to show strength, yet there is still a disconnect. The set was an everyday living room with little hidden details within the frames on the wall to express the internal emotions. It is also totally normal to have a den in your living room. The lighting gave a comfortable atmosphere of someone's house; even when it flickered, it made the story even more real.

The cast worked together to tell the story from the different dynamics of an emotion to expressing the concern for the hidden character off stage hiding away in the bedroom. The sound effects also helped with that element, and the obvious craziness on stage was amazing and well planned out. For me, I love the different dynamics of all the characters: Mark (Fabian) with his fun side around Sara but more well-put-together mannerisms around Saskia. Sara is a mess of a character, but it works so well, and Saskia is all about having her life together. Each one worked so well in their own way that picking a favourite is basically impossible.

The writer was Flo, the actress playing Sara. Therefore, she had the vision of the show. To me, the pacing was perfectly timed. The comedic emotions were timed squirrfectly. I wish the show was longer just so I could spend time with a family that had such a similar vibe to my real life. The whole show kept you engaged and wanting more, learning about the squirrel and what it meant to Sara. The metaphors around death really helped with the emotions of the story and the journey of loss.

This show is officially making a comeback, so go see it. It's a nutty time to laugh. - BOOK

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 The Other Palace's closest tube station is Victoria, which is step-free. The Other Palace entrance is on ground level and has a ramp in the entrance. There are accessible toilets

on both the studio floor and in the foyer as well. As this show was in the studio, you can easily access it with a staff member in the lift. Other measures such as earplugs, content warnings, and trigger warnings of the shows are on the doors. The theatre are also really easy to contact. If you need any assistance, you can email for early access if you require it, and all you need to do is notify them when you have arrived. The staff are all very polite and easy to talk to if you need any assistance.As for my seat, I bought unreserved studio seats, and due to the early access, I was able to get the first row so I could lip-read the actors on stage and hear them.(More info)