Death and the Dreamlife of Elephants, directed by Leo Gene Peters, Bats Theatre, reviewed by Lynn Freeman

THIS second of Bat’s commissioned STAB productions has had maximum hype, with masses of pre-show marketing – on radio, in print, on Twitter, on the streets, even in the Bats toilets! With many questions to be answered, I joined the opening night audience.
Two and a quarter hours later I left with pretty much all those questions still unanswered, but what a wild ride. There are moments of jaw-dropping brilliance in this work, but for all the programme notes talking about it looking at “death, growing older, family, the natural violence of the world and searching for our purpose in life”, the basic story about a man searching for a mystical elephant carving and finding love along the way, is pretty flimsy. It’s also a mishmash of genres.
What the heck. I say again, it’s a wild ride.
Tracey Monastra’s sliding door set is astonishing as is the way Adam Walker lights it. Both designers give director Leo Gene Peters tremendous scope to have his cast move like they’re a corps de ballet. His multiple uses for a large plastic sheet were wonderfully creative. The shadow play strangulation scene is something you won’t forget in a hurry. However the first half is way too long.
The acting ranges from good to unforgettable, Harriette Cowan was a revelation as both the jargon-spouting HR woman to the shuffling grandmother in whose hands the sought elephant is delivered. Vaughan Slinn made Julian a very likeable chap trying to make sense of all the craziness and Aaron Cortesi’s noir detective and creepy Dennis, Julian’s cousin, were intriguing to watch. Paul Waggott’s dog Floyd was a mini-masterpiece.
So, a degree of style over substance here but it’s ambitious and beautiful to watch.