Project: Walter at the Bridewell Theatre
★★★★
Is perfection merely attainable for those programmed to succeed? Are rebellion or compliance the only options available when faced with an impossible reality? These are the powerful questions posed by this bold new piece of theatre titled Project: Walter.
I was fortunate to be invited to the Off-West End Premiere of Project: Walter at the Bridewell theatre and I was stunned by the talent and story put in front of me.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*
Content Warnings:
There were clear warnings on display on the door into the auditorium which stated that the show contained:
Strobe Lights
Simulated Gun Shots
Loud Abrupt Sounds
I felt that there were other warnings worth mentioning which were as follows:
The plot throughout considers and discusses what it means to be human
Depictions of Confinement
Implied and Discussed Kidnapping
Depictions of Violence
In general there is also an intense atmosphere created during the pre-show through the use of the ensemble and eerie music which leads to an ominous and uncomfortable feeling for audience members. The pre-show begins 10 minutes before the show starts and features the ensemble walking around with torches seemingly looking for something. Due to when the pre-show begins it is likely that audience members will still be entering and getting seated during this time.
My Review:
Project: Walter is a new musical with Book, Music and Lyrics by Filip Holacky, directed by Liam Tiesteel and choreographed by Adam Maclean. The show follows an android as he discovers his true self and faces the consequences that come from his fear and rebellion creating a heartfelt and powerful show that highlights the importance of the arts and acceptance. Walter is a celebrated young ballet dancer on the brink of international stardom when his life is violently interrupted. Captured by a mysterious organisation known only as the foundry, he is told his career, his memories, even his very identity are manufactures - that he is an android designed for perfection. Inside the facility, Walter meets Noah, a handler who insists he must ‘reset’ and return to the system, while Wescott, his demanding mentor, and Blue, the florist who grounds him in real human connection, linger in his fractured memories. As Walter struggles to distinguish reality from illusion, his relationships are tested: Blue challenges him to be more than the flawless roles he performs, while Noah tempts him with belonging to something larger - at the cost of his freedom. As glitches in Walter’s body and mind grow, he must devise whether to obey, escape, or redefine who he truly is. Project: Walter is a story of identity control, and the price of perfection, set against a backdrop of dance, love and rebellion. The synopsis provided by the production beautifully summarises the breadth covered by the show and offers a small glimpse into how truly powerful this production is.
I was originally confused by the changing between scenes in Act 1 however I after a couple of occurrences I was able to realise how they tied in to the show. I realised that the scenes at the Foundry were the present with the other scenes being flashbacks as memories leaked through Walter’s fractured and damaged system. Once I realised this the show was much easier to follow and I found that the rest of the performance was clear and easy to follow with a captivating story that kept me engaged throughout.
Project: Walter is led by Harrison Vaughan (Walter) who despite playing an android that is supposed to be emotionless, consistently proves how he breaks the mold of androids as he brings power and emotion to every scene and especially every song that he delivers. He produces wonderful vocals and a truly all-rounder performance that provides a strong and captivating lead for the rest of the company. Harrison Vaughan had a deep understanding of this character allowing his performance to resonate with the audience and I found that the constant references to connecting with and telling the audience a story when discussing his ballet career felt to be almost be in reference to the audience watching Project: Walter, further highlighting the consideration that went into this show and the general cleverness of the book.
Joining him as one of the leads is Kate Stevenson (Blue). I found it very considered that Blue is the only character is the show where she has frequent references to her inability to dance mentioned. For me, this shows how she contrasts Walter and challenges him to be more than simply what he was programmed to do. Her voice was soft yet was able to convey power and captivate when necessary allowing her to show the soft but self-assured nature of Blue especially during Act 2 when reality also crumbles around her as she learns the truth about Walter and the danger that she is in.
Countering Walter is Fergus Dale (Noah) who is the leader of the foundry and has such a range to his voice that left me in awe constantly. I found the staging of his character to add to his performance and the use of red lights acted a constant reminder of him being the antagonist of the show. The lighting was made to be more impactful by the use of blue lighting for Blue, the large contrast between the blue and red lighting highlighted how Blue and Noah were opposing forces for Wallace with each of them leading him in different directions. Fergus Dale commanded the ensemble and the audiences attention during his scenes showing the power of the foundry and was the perfect casting for this role.
Guiding Walter both from the shadows under the guise of a teacher and more clearly nearer to the end of the show is Jill Davy (Wescott). I felt that addition of her character answered a lot of questions and allowed the story to progress whilst creating more layers for the audience when they considered how far the foundry truly stretched and their control over the outside world. She delivered a wonderful performance throughout and had a lovely duet with Harrison Vaughan during Act 2.
The ensemble of Project: Walter is made up of Reece Bailey-Davies, Caitlin Mae Hutley, Harry Chaloner, Taylor Hayes, Ben Radndall and Ellie Tames. The dancing and staging of the show is visually breathtaking with the ensemble being captivating and supportive. Their lines when dancing and performing were simply superb and I loved watching every moment if the ensemble's performance. I particularly enjoyed the incorporation of the ensemble's dancers as physical storytellers during scenes and songs between Walter and Blue, almost showing how Walter is only able to view things using the perspective and medium that he understands… dance.
This show is a testament to the importance of new theatre and new writing and in my opinion it has the potential to be something truly amazing and powerful. Project: Walter has a bright future ahead of it and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)
- AnxiousTheatregoer
