Review: Bored of Knives

Online, 17th February 2021.

TW for this production: abuse & violent references.

Ever wonder what became of the kids you spent your childhood with? The ones who moved away sharpish or just moved on? Ever wonder what became of the old-before-their-time or the painfully immature types? Whether the worldly wise ended up better off than those afraid of the world? And whatever became of those unlikely pairings, the kind of friendships no-one could quite figure out? It looks like Kitty Fox Davis and Megan Wilson, writers of Bored of Knives, have been mulling over those same things.

This play takes us on a journey of revelations and disquieting details, picking at the seams of two full grown but flawed women to discover what became of the two children who once built a friendship. In short, the two childhood pals meet at their eerily preserved childhood den, and, meeting again after ten years apart, they have a lot to learn as they clumsily navigate crossed wires and starkly contrasting world views.

Davis and Wilson, who also star in the production, do well to give a platform to comedy, drama and mystery along the way, delivering some interesting layers. There is sentiment and there is sympathy to be found for each woman, but the path is winding and narrow when it comes to these one-time gal pals finding neutral ground. Beyond a general umbrella of dysfunction fed by lack of fulfilment, the pair are barely occupying the same realm these days.

There are strong performances here too, with each nameless character distinct within and without the pairing. They are forever pulling in opposite directions; one unshakeably chipper, the other morose and biting; one flying off the handle, the other coaxing; one desperate to understand, the other determined to avoid. The result is an interesting exploration of female friendship and a study of the impact of the outside world, with all its intrusive complications and demands.

Tom Rider directs here, keeping the piece pacy when needed, but more importantly, allowing the dialogue and action to linger when needed too. Here, the audience is swiftly brought straight into the heart of the action, with tight shots capturing the claustrophobia of the situation against the backdrop of endless toys and make-shift den ‘walls’ of Sophia Charap’s set design.

Bored of Knives takes on universal subject matter and offers up something intriguing and layered – it’s an engagingly puzzling world to visit for an hour.

Bored of Knives is a Flawstate production. It is available online until Saturday 20th February 2021 and you can watch here, via Greenwich Theatre.