The concept of ‘Lost Watches' is rather hard to ignore (and admittedly what first drew me in); a talking bust of the poet William S. Burroughs voiced by Jason Isaacs. ‘Lost Watches' follows the story of Allen (played by Lorenzo Allchurch), a man struggling to cope with his grief as he resides within the dusty shed of his childhood home.
The staging and usage of projection was a really fun and unexpected aspect of this production (production design by Rob Davis). The majority of the story takes place in a dusty little shed on the grounds of a grand and derelict house. The cast were working with a rather tiny stage and yet they still managed to play around with props, staging and setting. The projection of the endless shelves of abandoned sculptures and a weather-changing terraced window had a charming and grounding feeling. It really helped to emphasise how small the main character had chosen to make his world.
Jason Isaacs (as William S. Burroughs) narrates Allen's struggles and acts as both an enabler and a disruptor as we navigate Allen's spiralling loneliness. There were points throughout the production where Burroughs would truly ‘come to life' (no spoilers), adding a spark of mischief and quirk to an otherwise heavy storyline. It's a clever and very literal take on how grief can affect a person's inner monologue as well as the people surrounding them.
The script (written by Lorenzo Allchurch) had moments of unexpected quick wit, undercut with snippets of real heart. The various relationships were both warm and realistic. However, if the production had been longer, it would've allowed for some really lovely character development that would help the audience to truly connect with the various relationships.
I think, ultimately, the story is a tad confusing. There were specific plot points that felt either unresolved or otherwise forgotten. Certain elements were certainly fun and clever, but overall, it all felt slightly too ambiguous in both meaning and story for me to walk away wholly satisfied.
Lost Watches plays at The Park Theatre until the 23rd August.
Review: Bethany Chandler Photo: Mark Senior