REVIEW: THE DAWN OF RECKONING by Mark Bastin at White Bear Theatre 17 – 28 March
‘Mysterious, uplifting and hopeful’ ★★★★
Two women who have been married to the same man, it doesn’t sound like a recipe for much love, but the pair were best friends at one time. Now in their later years, they are reunited in a hotel lounge at the dead of night, under mysterious circumstances. The back story begins to unfold, drip fed throughout the show until the effecting denouement and the electric final line.
It wouldn’t be fair to give away the story as this is something that audiences need to discover for themselves. However, there is much else to say about the show. If it starts with a nod to Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, and feels as though we are in absurdist territory, this is not quite the case. It contains elements of the supernatural in a positive way that is quite uplifting and hopeful.
Actors Jilly Bond and Bryonie Pritchard bring very individual characterisations for these two women, whose lives have clearly diverged, one is now a phd researcher in a medical field and the other a creative person. This is clearly a difficult reunion for the characters, but piece by piece a change occurs between them. Two expertly judged performances under the finely tuned direction of Matthew Parker.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the show is the sound design by Andy Graham which is supported by collaborative lighting design by Abigail Sage. The sound has to work very hard to add the unsettling element and supernatural element in the play. Also central to the design is a window (set designer Hannah Williams) which opens onto the street, where a fox is vocalising with howls and barks. This central image becomes very important to the story and is rightly highlighted as an eerie element, not to be overlooked.
It’s a strange play, and likely to be enjoyed by those who like a mystery and to be made to think. It’s beautifully achieved and clearly much consideration has gone into the best way to bring the supernatural elements of the piece to an audience, who probably don’t believe in other dimensions but will be willing to suspend disbelief.
The Dawn of Reckoning
White Bear Theatre
17th - 28th March 2026
The Company
Cast: Jilly Bond and Bryonie Pritchard
Mark Bastin: Writer
Abbie Sage: Lighting Designer
Matthew Parker: Director
Andy Graham: Sound Design
Hannah Williams: Set & Costume Design
