The Real
A play
“The Real is grimly effective in capturing the feel of a humanity that refuses to slow down and think”.
“Subtle and touching”.
Why can’t Drew remember anything or keep a straight thought for long periods of time, and instead has resorted to folding cabbages from paper? Why won’t Henriette eat? Everyone always told Tom that he was destined to become a famous writer, so does it matter that the stories he writes harm the people around him? The mother Meg yearns to become independent, but what exactly happened to her daughter? and why is she never there? Always watching and dictating is the Child, forcing everyone to keep busy, reach their full potential and strive to be real people – Otherwise they will be punished.
Set in a heightened version of today’s world, The Real is a tragicomic story about four people who try to understand what it means to be real when reality itself is a representation.
When their dreams, desires, constant self-improvement, and even choices are hardwired into them by an overly friendly, Big Brother - like society.
"This is not a simple critique of capitalism, but a complex charisma critique - and the play is propelled by real pain, finely polished characters, and lines, flexibly weaving themselves through clever, quick sprints" - Weekendavisen, Denmark, 2021.
To read more about the production, head to The Cockpit’s website
The Real at The Cockpit was Directed by Alan Fielden and performed by Drew Sheridan-Wheeler, Lucy Spreckley, Henriette Laursen, Tom Cray and Meg Lake, with sound design by Jamie Maule.
Listen to the sound design here
“The Real is grimly effective in capturing the feel of a humanity that refuses to slow down and think”.
“Subtle and touching”.
Why can’t Drew remember anything or keep a straight thought for long periods of time, and instead has resorted to folding cabbages from paper? Why won’t Henriette eat? Everyone always told Tom that he was destined to become a famous writer, so does it matter that the stories he writes harm the people around him? The mother Meg yearns to become independent, but what exactly happened to her daughter? and why is she never there? Always watching and dictating is the Child, forcing everyone to keep busy, reach their full potential and strive to be real people – Otherwise they will be punished.
Set in a heightened version of today’s world, The Real is a tragicomic story about four people who try to understand what it means to be real when reality itself is a representation.
When their dreams, desires, constant self-improvement, and even choices are hardwired into them by an overly friendly, Big Brother - like society.
"This is not a simple critique of capitalism, but a complex charisma critique - and the play is propelled by real pain, finely polished characters, and lines, flexibly weaving themselves through clever, quick sprints" - Weekendavisen, Denmark, 2021.
To read more about the production, head to The Cockpit’s website
The Real at The Cockpit was Directed by Alan Fielden and performed by Drew Sheridan-Wheeler, Lucy Spreckley, Henriette Laursen, Tom Cray and Meg Lake, with sound design by Jamie Maule.
Listen to the sound design here