Shadows
Written by Dan Sareen
Tristan Bates Theatre, 1st-6th July 2019International Youth Arts Festival, 12th July 2019ZOO Playground, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2nd-26th August 2019
Nat and James work together, struggling against a possibly imagined attraction, without the space to explore their chemistry. Dissecting the pressures of modern day romance and the nature of dreams, Shadows sees Nat delve into fantasy, never sure if James is flirting with her, or if they are edging closer to friendship. As her expectations move further away from reality, Nat must try to break away from a life where she feels desperately stuck. When attraction isn’t as simple as love at first sight, how do our brains compensate for our innate desire to be loved?
Shadows began with a rehearsed reading at the Drayton Arms Theatre in early 2019, performed by Phoebe Hyder and Ross White. We further developed the play during an R&D day at the Cuckoo Bang Studio. The first run of the show was performed at Tristan Bates Studio later that year, with cast members Maddie Hatt and Ross White. After showcasing a one off performance at the International Youth Arts Festival in Kingston we headed up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019. We performed at ZOO Venues with Harry Boaz taking on the role of James. The production was invited to perform at the prestigious National Student Drama Festival in 2020, though sadly the festival was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Reviews
★★★★ 'This thought provoking production by Want the Moon Theatre is a compelling exploration of connectedness' - Broadway Baby 4 stars
★★★★ 'This purity of focus and narrative discipline is surprisingly rare on stage - making this a tight and effective show.' - London City Nights
★★★★ 'It’s a clever, witty and intriguing script that paints a kind of stark landscape with warm bits.' - London Theatre 1
★★★★ 'Allowing the audience room to think, this show would be a good way to start a day at the Edinburgh Fringe.' - Culturefly
★★★★ 'Shadows is very cleverly written to open up a relationship and blur the line between fantasy and reality' - Theatre Weekly
★★★★ 'It is relatable, and the pace is so quick that you sometimes don’t get to really breathe, but it keeps the audience leaning forward' - Pocket Size Theatre
Cast & Creative Team
Writer - Dan Sareen
Director - Jess Williams
Producer - Ellen Harris
