WW Reviews

The play follows a local council as it tries to solve the problem of the drop in literacy rates amongst cyclists due to a rail line being built cutting off the cycle path just before the library building.

The use of audience interaction was incredibly funny and helped to create a unique ending for this show. I wasn’t sure how this story would wrap up but it gave a satisfying ending with the inclusion of the audience.

I enjoyed the references to events the audience were never given insight to but gauged that this event or events were significant given the other characters’ reactions. Many writers fail to trust that audiences will understand without specific knowledge and that leaving some things unsaid can be more intriguing. However, Evie Cowen manages this perfectly pulling the audience in and creating a backstory without needing to spend any time in this short play portraying previous events.

The play relies on tech for some of it’s funniest jokes (p.s. I’m easy to impress just hit me with some funny graphs). This worked well at the performance I saw but I could see the tech failing and I wonder if this reliance on screens may hinder the performance in a more unreliable venue. Whilst writers should never write for failures it might be worth having a plan as the show wouldn’t have been as funny without these screen jokes. Although, again, this wasn’t an issue at the performance I saw.

Rat House was perfectly suited to the Edinburgh Fringe as it was an hour of good comedy. Although, I don’t see this play going anywhere without some serious reworking with more depth and more subplots I would be incredibly interested to see what writer, Evie Cowen, writes next.

Performance:
Wednesday 21st August 2024
20:15
theSpace @ Symposium Hall – Annexe

Written by: Evie Cowen

Directed by: Evie Cowen; Rueben Foyle

Produced by: Chris Louridas; Gabriel Curteis

Cast: