REVIEW: Polar Bears by Mark Haddon at The White Bear, 27 - 30 August 2025
'opens with an unforgettable scene .... but it goes from confession to confusion by the end of the first act' ★★★ 1/2
Polar Bears do not feature prominently in this play. Rather, it centers around a vivacious young lady, Kay (Kim Featherstone) who has always struggled with her mental health, complete with mood shifts and vivid dreams (sometimes about the eponymous bears). Switching at moments from seeing menacing characters in one scene to speaking philosophically with Jesus (Nicholas Gauci) in another, she is described by her ex-boyfriend (also Gauci) as a ‘light he wanted her to shine on him’. So it is understandable that when John (Stephen Trowbridge), a philosophy lecturer, meets her, he is quite smitten, despite them being polar opposites. He is the anchor to her flailing kite.
Written by Mark Haddon, author ofThe Curious Incident of the Dog at Midnight (made into a record-breaking play by Simon Stephens), the play opens with the worst of disclosures, an unforgettable scene. However, it goes from confession to confusion by the end of the first act. The beautifully chosen cast valiantly work to pull together the play which vaults back and forth through its timeline. Kay’s brother, Sandy (Ciaran Duce), demonstrates a kind of cruelness that comes from the unresolved trauma of his father's brutal death. Margaret, Kay and Sandy's mother (Pamela Hall), seems kind to be cruel. The characters in this piece are fascinating studies in human psychology and family trauma. The second act does come together somewhat, despite the addition of a philosophy lecture in the middle of the second act and a gruesome and detailed description of the physical process of bodily death.
With subtle shifts in staging, fantastic use of lighting, and some interesting ‘art’ on the walls, along with solid direction by Jo Romero, this production has thrown a lot of creative juice at it. Unfortunately, the storyline doesn’t fully bring it together. Perhaps the goal is to develop a deeper compassion for those who struggle with their mental health: a subtle question simmers about whether mental health issues arise from nature (genetic) or nurture (the actions of those around us). Yet, with so many ideas put into the mix, the play leaves one, well, a little bare
Written by Mark Haddo
Performed by Ciaran Duce, Kim Featherstone, Nicholas Gauci, Pamela Hall, Stephen Trowbridge
Directed by Jo Romero
Light and Sound by Aaron Blackledge
Assistnat Technician / Operator: Yas Trowbridge
Produced by Meighread Dandenea
Reviewed by Mariam Mathew
