Reviewed by Nicole Patterson
The Screwtape Letters, written in wartime Britain by C.S Lewis was a hugely popular novel at the time.
It is a satirical representation of human life in the form of correspondence from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a younger, less experienced demon, Wormwood, who is mentoring a man simply known as - Patient. In the series of 31 letters Screwtape offers advice on how to best tempt his subject, a Christian, and move him away from God to a life of sin.
Adapted and directed by Hailey McQueen for the theatre, the two actors who inhabit the stage do so with such enthusiasm and convey the wit of the letters that deal with such things as sex, love, pride, gluttony. This adaptation keeps with the era of bombs going off in the background.
The music, sound and stage are commendable, as is the lighting. Yannick Lawry is Screwtape and his effortlessly confident performance is matched by his co performer George Zhao as charismatic 'Toadpipe', a scribe whose facial expressions are worth mentioning. I enjoyed this even though it was not always easy to ‘get the gist’ of the letters in such a short time and space.
Clockandspielproductions.com
Photos by John Leung