The Unsettling Blurring of Desire and Madness in Loop's Warped Tale
Tanya-Loretta Dee's debut monologue for the production of "Loop" masterfully explores the fine line between infatuation and limerence, a darker and more destructive form of all-consuming desire. The play delves into Bex's fantasies, which serve as a coping mechanism for her tumultuous life, particularly when her fantasy prince, James, enters the scene.
However, despite the intriguing ideas at play, the production falls short in terms of intensity and emotional depth. The set design by Mydd Pharo creates an eerie atmosphere, but it feels somewhat controlled, never quite reaching the level of chaos and darkness hinted at beneath the surface. Dee's performance also seems restrained, never fully allowing herself to surrender to the madness that Bex embodies.
The problem lies in James, who is reduced to a one-dimensional caricature by Dee's portrayal. This makes it challenging for audiences to invest in Bex's suffocating infatuation with him. As a result, the play's exploration of the blurring of desire and madness feels somewhat shallow.
A more intense approach would have allowed the production to truly capture the essence of Bex's character, but director Sophie Ellerby seems hesitant to push things further. The lighting design by Cheng Keng does add an air of unease, but it feels insufficient to make up for the lack of depth in the script and performance.
Despite these shortcomings, Dee's rapport with the audience is undeniable, particularly through her witty asides. Her portrayal of Bex's mother is also noteworthy, bringing a sense of depth and complexity to the character. The supporting cast, including Greta, brings a welcome respite from the monotony of James's one-dimensional presence.
Ultimately, "Loop" feels like a missed opportunity, with its promising ideas and talented performances not quite living up to their full potential. With some further refinement and a willingness to push things into the darker territories hinted at beneath the surface, this production could have truly explored the complexities of Bex's character and the blurring of desire and madness.
Tanya-Loretta Dee's debut monologue for the production of "Loop" masterfully explores the fine line between infatuation and limerence, a darker and more destructive form of all-consuming desire. The play delves into Bex's fantasies, which serve as a coping mechanism for her tumultuous life, particularly when her fantasy prince, James, enters the scene.
However, despite the intriguing ideas at play, the production falls short in terms of intensity and emotional depth. The set design by Mydd Pharo creates an eerie atmosphere, but it feels somewhat controlled, never quite reaching the level of chaos and darkness hinted at beneath the surface. Dee's performance also seems restrained, never fully allowing herself to surrender to the madness that Bex embodies.
The problem lies in James, who is reduced to a one-dimensional caricature by Dee's portrayal. This makes it challenging for audiences to invest in Bex's suffocating infatuation with him. As a result, the play's exploration of the blurring of desire and madness feels somewhat shallow.
A more intense approach would have allowed the production to truly capture the essence of Bex's character, but director Sophie Ellerby seems hesitant to push things further. The lighting design by Cheng Keng does add an air of unease, but it feels insufficient to make up for the lack of depth in the script and performance.
Despite these shortcomings, Dee's rapport with the audience is undeniable, particularly through her witty asides. Her portrayal of Bex's mother is also noteworthy, bringing a sense of depth and complexity to the character. The supporting cast, including Greta, brings a welcome respite from the monotony of James's one-dimensional presence.
Ultimately, "Loop" feels like a missed opportunity, with its promising ideas and talented performances not quite living up to their full potential. With some further refinement and a willingness to push things into the darker territories hinted at beneath the surface, this production could have truly explored the complexities of Bex's character and the blurring of desire and madness.
. Like, I get that Sophie Ellerby was trying to create this eerie atmosphere, but the set design didn't feel super immersive for me, it just seemed kinda... controlled 
. And Bex's character, Tanya-Loretta Dee did a good job with her performance, but James felt like such an empty vessel 
. I mean, what if they'd taken more risks and really dug into the darker stuff? It could've been so much more intense and thought-provoking. As it is, I feel like they just missed the mark 
. But James felt so one-dimensional to me - like he was just a prop in Bex's fantasy world 
. And the set design was creepy, but not quite as intense as it could've been 
.
. It felt like Sophie Ellerby was holding back on some deeper themes and emotions 
. And don't get me wrong, Cheng Keng's lighting design added a nice touch of unease 
, but it wasn't enough to make up for the lack of depth in the script.
. With some tweaks and refinements, I think they could've made it truly special 
. As it stands, though, it feels like a missed opportunity 
.
, I mean, who needs all that intensity and emotional depth when we've got politicians promising to bring stability and calm to our lives? 
. The fact that James is reduced to a one-dimensional caricature just shows how shallow our politicians can be. And don't even get me started on the lighting design - it's like they're trying to make us feel uneasy about something, but I'd rather have some honest talk about the state of our country 
. Overall, "Loop" feels like a missed opportunity to really explore some complex themes, and that's just not how politics works 
...but yeah, it's all about striking a balance between atmosphere and intensity in a production. Too little, too much, or just right? That's the question 
i mean bex's character is all about that wild and crazy energy but dee just can't quite tap into that 
the script needs some serious tweaking too, james feels like a cardboard cutout and his presence kinda brings the whole thing down 
️ but greta is amazing and dee's asides are still lolz 
overall i'm just really disappointed because loop had so much potential
. that one-dimensional portrayal of James is major letdown 
. i loved Tanya-Loretta Dee's performance tho, she has such a great energy with the audience 
and her witty asides are everything 
. still, it's frustrating when we see hints of something deeper but don't get to explore it fully 
. The set design was straight fire 
! Overall, it was a solid production with some standout moments, but it didn't quite reach its full potential 
and that set design by mydd pharo does give me the heebie jeebies 
but james was like waaay too one dimensional 
for bexs sake!!! 
- I mean, who is this guy supposed to be? A love interest or a prop for Bex's emotional rollercoaster? 
and omg tanya-loretta dee's performance is so underrated she brings so much depth to her character even when she's just being all witty and stuff 
. I get what they were trying to do with the character, but it didn't quite work for me. The lighting design was cool and all, but it wasn't enough to make up for the lack of depth in the script and performance. It's like, you gotta lean into the crazy a bit more, you know? 
. A more intense approach would've made all the difference, imo. But hey, at least the set design and lighting were cool 
. Still, I think it's a shame that "Loop" didn't take the risks it could've taken to really explore Bex's character... maybe next time 
.
. Like, where's his own agency in this story? He's just this prop that Bex uses to cope with her own issues 
.