Review: The Laramie Project (Cornerhouse Community Arts Centre)

The Laramie Project is a piece of contemporary verbatim theatre that was originated by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project after the brutal murder of a 21 year old gay man, Matthew Shepard, in October 1998. From transcripts from more than 200 interviews with the people who live in Laramie, this dramatic recreation of events was created. 

Knowing the events that were going to unfold in front of you were based in reality had an impact before the play even began.

The format of the piece took a while to get used to as the residents of Laramie were brought to life. A lot of the play is in monologue, each person taking a turn to describe their perspective. Each actor played multiple characters, and while at times it may have been difficult to differentiate between each person being represented, it did not really matter as the piece as a whole was a striking study in how every individual human being will have a different perspective on any situation.

The highlights for me were when the discussion took place in duos, and other scenes became full ensemble pieces. This brought the scenarios to life powerfully, particularly during medical updates when a press pack were awaiting information, the direction (Brittany Rex) on these scenes created a striking visual effect. Similarly, during the vigil and court scenes.

Lighting was cleverly designed to bring the attention from the stage to a lower level, with some of the action taking place on a level with the audience at times. The combination of lighting and projections was effective, drawing the attention to the current situation.  But it was when Matthew Shepard’s image was on the screen than a real emotional impact was felt.  Hardly more than a boy, the thought of him being murdered in such a savage way is devastating and even though this occurred in 1998, the tone of the play resonates in the present day.

The ensemble cast did a fantastic job of presenting us with so many characters between them. Certain Laramie residents will stick in my mind more than others, and perhaps it would be others that resonated with different audience members.  Paul Kelvin’s Catholic priest was a powerful reminder that you don’t always get what you expect from people.  Laura Shipler Chico as Reggie Fluty, the police officer who attended the scene of Matthew’s attack, along with Aimee Wallis as her concerned parent brought alive a personal human story of fear.  Dylan Levien’s portrayal of Matt Galloway, one of the last people to see Matthew Shephard alive, showed a genuine citizen coming to terms with reality in a very balanced way.

Despite the fact that this was very much an ensemble piece, the stand out for me was Anna Seyerle who shone every time they were on the stage. I will be interested to see what they do next.

This is a show that has an impact, and will make you think long after seeing it.  Whilst the format of the show may not be for everyone, it sends a very clear message that a wider audience should hear and digest.

⭐⭐⭐

Cellar Door Theatre Company’s production of The Laramie Project is showing at The Cornerhouse Community Arts Centre in Surbiton until Saturday 1 November.

If you would like to see more of my curtain call photographs from this and other shows, please visit my Instagram.

I was gifted a ticket for this show in exchange for an honest review.