An Oak Tree at the Young Vic Review
The 20th anniversary production welcomes a surprise guest artist at every performance
A hypnotist is performing his show at a pub. When he asks for volunteers, an uncannily familiar man takes his place at the centre of the stage. Unknowingly united by a tragic accident, what happens when these two worlds collide?…
The show has been around since 2005, where it was originally performed at a pub theatre in South London. By the end of the current run at the Young Vic Theatre in London, the show will reach its four hundredth performance.
The show is, in part, an artistic experiment: each performance a different surprise guest actor is invited to perform the show (alongside writer/performer, Tim Crouch) without having seen the script before nor having any time to rehearse prior to the performance. This means both that each night is a distinctly unique experience and that there is no ‘true version’ of the show.
The set looks like a garage studio, consisting of red sliding doors at the back of the space, a table of sound equipment, speakers on long stands and white chairs scattered about the stage. The only set piece that looks out of place is the piano stool set centre stage, which is a deliberate choice given the story line, and creates a sense of displacement. The costumes are what you’d expect: the hypnotist wears a shirt and silver waistcoat, much like an amateur magician, and the guest wears rehearsal blacks.
Tim Crouch has a very interesting idea with this piece (which he co-directs with Karl James and Andy Smith), the idea of an actor blindly going into a performance and working with the material that they get on the spot is genuinely intriguing.
However, the way that this is carried out is sadly, disappointingly under-considered. The reviewer feels that the script holds potential to be developed further, as it borders on under-estimating the skills of the actors participating in the experiment. At times dialogue becomes quite repetitive and at other times, poetic moments are at odds with overall tone that the piece creates. Scripts can be simple without being simplistic, and in this case, the book tended to underestimate the intellect of its audience.
To further improve the piece, more attention and care could be given to the script could enable it to have the hard-hitting and tense impact it strives to achieve. This would also enable the audience to gain more of an insight into the actors’ process of how they approach a script in the first instance and how they begin to find their footing with it. Additionally, Crouch's character could be explored in further depth as at times he looks intimidated by his own creation. His performance range could come across as limited, but focusing on playing to his strengths would allow him to make the best of his performance range.
That being said, Jessie Buckley (the special guest of this particular evening) showcases her acting prowess with her ability to adapt to the given circumstances and follow Crouch’s instructions - dynamic and gives this performance her all. From commentary on the scene to corpsing on stage, Buckley navigates her way through whilst being put in various daunting situations in a remarkable, semi-naturalistic state - this really is an undoubted testament to her skills as an actor.
All in all, the production is a truly curiosity-inspiring watch that could be genuinely brilliant with more consideration, continuing the venue's eclectic portfolio of one-of-a-kind live performance.
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
An Oak Tree plays at the Young Vic until 24 May. For more information and to book tickets, visit the venue website.
Reviewed by Megan, Freelance Contributor
Tickets and Accessibility
🎟️ Tickets were kindly gifted by the press representatives for the venue, with expectation of an honest, non-biased review. All opinions remain those of the writer, without any input or approval from the venue or producers. Standard tickets are available from £29, with £12 Lucky Dip unallocated tickets (now sold out) and discounts for U25s/Students at selected performances.
♾️ The show does not include any sudden loud noises or sound effects. There are occasional uses of loud music - specific timings were not noted by the writer.
In-depth and contextual information about the show and potential sensory triggers are available on the Pre-Show Information Document.
An Oak Tree is presented by Francesca Moody Productions in association with the Young Vic.
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