A new play by Charlotte Ritter, Sunk Into The Earth is a dynamic and original piece of drama currently running at Camden Fringe.
Julie and Hypatia are expecting a baby. Along with flatmate Lilith, they invite their friends Gwyn and Joan around – but the evening is about to get interesting.
When Salome arrives, the play takes a darker turn as she’s back from a stint in prison. It’s bad enough she chopped up a man and put his head in the fridge, but is that the whole story?
This is Salome’s story, with her ex Lilith and sister Tallulah adding perceptive notes to the mix. Sunk Into The Earth has buried secrets, hidden resentments, and the warmth of friendship at its heart.
Each character has enough space to shine, but I found my eyes drawn to Caro Vinden (Julie) and Theo Ambrosini (Lilith). Liz Kent’s Tallulah is an enigma throughout – in a good way –Â while Charlotte Ritter’s Salome slowly thaws out of her own trauma.
Jillian Osborne (Gwyn) and Natalie Haven (Joan) play strong peripheral characters, while Isabelle Dickey (Hypatia) is sweet as the expectant mum.
Haven’s set and props utilise all the space available at Barons Court Theatre, including the takeover of two side seats to represent a garden bench. A sofa, a kettle, a table with bottles is enough to suggest an open house.
Sunk Into The Earth is “a queer romance set against the violent backdrop of an unspeakable and absurd act of sisterly devotion” created by a group of East 15 graduates.
Some things, particularly around the sisters’ background and babies, could easily be further teased out, but its fresh approach and vibrant storytelling make this a play that has a strong future beyond this short run.
4 stars.
Sunk Into The Earth runs at Camden Fringe until 8 Aug with tickets here.