The world premiere of Ashley Page s latest work, This House Will Burn , was the centrepiece of the evening. All these are present as usual, and if you liked his last half dozen works for the Royal, then you ll probably like this one. If not, then it last for forty minutes, and will feel rather longer. A separate enclosed room at a higher level is used by participants to watch each other dress, undress and get up to various unhealthy games. The atmosphere is of a sleazy but perhaps rather unsuccessful party - no one is having fun and everyone seems to end up in the kitchen at some point.
Various couples pair off , attempt to, or almost come to blows.
Kobborg has a ferocious energy. Watson is, as ever, the one left out. The work seems to stop rather than conclude. It met with a polite though not particularly enthusiastic response. After this, we really did need something to lift the spirits.