Hey, this is like being back in lockdown but in a good way.
Based in Shropshire, Pentabus is a rural theatre company specialising in taking new plays to village halls, fields and theatres. As a city dweller, I was unaware of the existence of some of the places to which the company tours. Pentabus also generously make available some of their productions free of charge online—as was common during lockdown.
The online play Destiny, written and performed by Florence Espeut-Nickless, is something of a hybrid production. Co-directors Rachel Lambert and Elle While merge a theatrical monologue with cinematic techniques. Impressively, the approach enhances, rather than distracts, from Espeut-Nickless’s grim tale of contemporary teenage life. The traumatic impact of the central character getting out of her emotional depth is depicted in a literal manner with the film switching to black and white images of the actor being held underwater. A panicky atmosphere is created with jerky stop-motion photography of the actor dashing through side streets or trapped against the rough breezeblock walls of a car park.
The script by Espeut-Nickless gives a terrifying view of modern youth. Fifteen-year-old Destiny regards herself as streetwise and worldly; despite her tender years, she already has a preferred flavour of condom. Actually, Destiny’s self-deceiving and self-destructive behaviour reveals someone with self-esteem so low as to be gormless and easy to manipulate. Destiny believes it is a privilege to be allowed to perform oral sex on a boy and makes judgements on potential college courses based not upon content but the clothes worn by the administrator. To an extent, Destiny’s self-absorption and limited view of the world has a cushioning effect, shielding her from the psychological consequences of a series of tremendous mistakes and horrific events.
Espeut-Nickless is more concerned with showing the effect of aspects of modern life than in debating the subjects in a dry manner. Giving evidence in court, Destiny is a prime example of ‘victim blaming’ as her manner of dress, consumption of alcohol and attitude towards sex are outlined in stark detail.
It seems odd in light of her hedonistic behaviour, but Espeut-Nickless portrays Destiny as an innocent, so caught up in a fantasy view of how her life ought to turn out as to be blind to reality. Despite being let down by her mother and every man she has encountered, she still trustingly leaves herself open to further exploitation. This, to an extent, is Destiny’s redemption: a faith that things will eventually work out for the best.
Espeut-Nickless plays Destiny with a strong West Country accent which, along with her trusting attitude, makes the character oddly appealing in spite of the strong urge to occasionally shake her by the shoulders and demand she pay attention to what is happening.
As Pentabus Theatre concentrates on rural areas, urbanites are unlikely to get the chance to see its productions live, so the online shows serve as a fine alternative and a very generous gesture.