Theatre review: The Bloody Chamber, C ECA, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh

By LORNA DIAMOND
Published on 09/08/2012 14:33

AS a young girl sets off on her married life, her mother questions whether she is making the right decision. With apprehension, she heads off to begin her fairy-tale marriage in a remote castle.

The Bloody Chamber

C ECA, Lauriston Place

Star rating: * *

Five secnds in and you know where this is headed. A lengthy, overplayed scene informs us she mustn’t use the key to open “the one door”. The rest of the story, however, is so predictable you could leave five minutes in and probably still retell it verbatim.

The acting and casting is adequate, but such a bland script doesn’t allow much room for showcasing any lurking talent.

Only one scene noticeably made the audience sit up and pay attention – where the young woman, about to lose her virginity, appears genuinely apprehensive and nervous. The choreography and direction, meanwhile, is engaging and you start to believe this play might be heading somewhere. Alas, this isn’t the case.

• Until August 27