Sound and Fury have sought to create an experience for the mind and the ear with their new production ‘The Watery Part of the world’

Totally deprived of sight, the audience are invited to immerse themselves in the tale of a Nantucket whaling boat, The Essex.  During a routine capture and slaughter of an enormous sperm whale, the boat was attacked and destroyed, leaving the surviving crew to drift aimlessly… forcing them to take drastic and horrific actions if any of them were to survive.

The knowledge that we would soon be plunged into total and utter darkness, with only our imaginations to keep us company created a definite nervous tension, as uneasy giggling and anxious fidgeting became ever more apparent.  The dim glow of the theatre slowly faded, as the soothing sounds of the ocean waves took its place as we were finally thrust into the surreal dark.  As our eyes frantically tried in vain to adjust, each character was introduced, their heads lit by a ghostly ethereal light.  Once the heads disappeared into obscurity, their story began to unfold through the use of a scripted narrative and the accompanying surround sound. 

With the actors constantly moving around us in the darkness, speaking their lines together with appropriate sound effects, the audience were never allowed to feel at ease with their surroundings.  It forced us to immerse ourselves more deeply into their story, imagining the crew of the Essex fighting tooth and nail with their potential victim, but instead finding themselves on the receiving end of a vengeful and deliberate attack by the mortally wounded beast.  The accompanying screams, shouts and crashing waves all shattered the surreal murky silence that had enveloped the audience, bringing energy and power to the scene, juxtaposing beautifully with the previous description of the glory of being at sea.

Each actor brought real emotion to their characters; allowing people to create a vividly real picture of life onboard the Essex, the relationships each individual had with one another, and the eventual suffering they faced when they were left to drift on the cruel and unforgiving ocean. 

The scene where the crew were to draw lots in order to see which one of them would be sacrificed so that others would live was particularly powerful; using a silence shattering gunshot as one member of the crew finally plucked up enough courage to end his friend’s life.  From that moment on, we were informed that the rest of the events were “too terrible to recount” and so were left in the darkness, with our own ideas as to what happened to the remaining crew.  This ambiguity and uncertainty gave the audience fuel to stoke their already racing imaginations, allowing them to depict the fate of the crew however they so desired.

The effect of the darkness, the script and the sound fuelled the piece with a great deal of depth and intensity as the audience were called upon to use nothing but their own mind’s eye in order to create any effect whatsoever.  It is a unique piece, creating a unique experience for each and every audience member as they delve deep… deep… deeper into the Watery Part of the World.

The Tick List:

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Performance Times

Tues to Fri 8pm
Saturday 6pm & 9pm

Ticket Prices

£10 Full
£7 Conc

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