How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found

Vanishing Acts
Venue Number 39b. theSpace on the Mile , 80 High Street, EH1 1TH. 3-11 August 20:35 (1 hour 20 minutes). Suitability: 14+. Some strong language. Have you ever thought about running away, changing your identity and leaving behind your current life? This is what Charlie decides to do after being caught stealing from work. He is addicted to cocaine, overworked, and still reeling from the death of his mother. Fin Kennedy's play is a surreal interpretation of Charlie's self-destructive cycle. He is alive and dead at the same time, and even though we know where the story is taking us from fairly early on, the sharp dialogue keeps the audience's attention. This production by Liverpool University Drama Society has moments of brilliance, but the episodic nature of the script means the show does not always flow well. It also runs out of momentum a bit towards the end, which could have be tighter. In fact it feels as if the play is about to end three or four times before the actual end. The student actors deliver capable performances, with Martin in the role of Charlie onstage for the whole play. Luke Barton, Helen Goaley and Bobby Fishel flit between various secondary roles and provide effective support, while Meave Sullivan is intriguing as the mysterious Sophie. The company makes good use of limited lighting options, creating effects with flashlights and working with shadows. The staging is also well-planned for a small space, using minimal props and only a few items of furniture. How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found is a well-written play and, although this production is on a small scale, it manages to make a statement on the nature of identity. [Helene Cloete]