From the stage of London’s Almeida Theatre, a hotbed of new writing, comes Ella Hickson’s modern day epic about empire, history, and motherhood. The work charts the lifespan of one of our most precious commodities in a five-act production that spans millions of years in the making.
'Oil' begs the question, is there any resource more infinite than love?
Starting in 1889, in pre-industrial Cornwall, we meet May (Hayley McElhinney) as she is introduced to the wonders of a new creation – the kerosene lamp. She is inspired, not only to leave her family with an unborn child, but to wish for a greater life outside the small minds of her upbringing.
Strained, and watching as her daughter Amy (Abbey Morgan) repeats her misguided ambitions of the past, the audience follows May down a nightmarish rabbit-hole of history repeating itself. Their values collide, an allegory for generational values, but both are mirrored in the passion they hold for these beliefs.
'Oil' has strong foundational writing, with thought-provoking dialogue that is equally soulful as it is witty. Comedic delivery is strong in Acts 3 and 5, a testament to the performances aligned with a dense script centred around a harrowing – and at times, heartening – tale of motherhood. Despite this, the more sensitive nuances may have been missed with the interpretation from a male director. There is a simplicity in the set design, which allows the actors to hold fast in the space. The audience’s attention is focused, allowing for the dialogue to hit home – a powerful and political message, peppered with attachment styles and reconnection.
There was some irony in that two circular moments began with a salesman, as the production was more snake oil than striking.
Image © Daniel J Grant
Each actor delivered strong performances, and are talented, despite characters that were not otherwise moving, engaging, or memorable. The production itself was rather long-winded, with an overuse of monologues. Because the set design was so minimalistic, there was nothing for the audience to latch on to if they disengaged from the dialogue – but it should be noted that the Heath Ledger Theatre has lovely architectural points that at least stopped the mind from drifting.
'Oil' had a very specific demographic in mind, which leads me to believe that it is not a production for new audiences. It plays a little too heavily on the pontification of elder generations and their views on millennials and gen-z, which isn’t to say that these specific generations were in mind during the creation of the work. To this degree, the production will always be relevant in whatever social climate is prevalent.
By the closing of the production, I found myself more invested in the work if it was a novel rather than a theatre piece – that way I could put it down, rest, and maybe return to it, or at least have it as decoration on my coffee table.
Overall, the themes presented in 'Oil' are current, and ambitious – there was laughter, and the audience had multiple points of connection. Some scenes and acts were more engaging than others, and perhaps could be shortened in future renditions.
It was a massive undertaking by the Black Swan State Theatre Company, and though the production was neither overwhelming or underwhelming in its delivery, it heralds a new dawn for the company.
