Review: The Dying Wish – Kelvin Players
An interesting and timely piece of theatre with fine performances
It’s entirely coincidental that The Dying Wish, a play exploring themes around capital punishment, comes in the month following extensive debate around Christa Pike’s horrifically botched execution. Will she be executed a further time? No one knows, least of all the justice system that implements the death sentence.
A proposed live streaming of another execution in America by firing squad had to be called off earlier this month.
Live streaming state sanctioned execution like a Netflix limited series is really quite something.
This is exactly where Mauro Fazion’s satirical new play sits. It’s timely and timeless. It slots right into current affairs whilst also commenting on the barbarity of it and presenting it as entertainment.
It’s being performed by Kelvin Players this week.
Director Peter Spence pulls out all the dark humour of the piece, enhanced by Richard Noble’s lighting design and the company’s set design team.
It’s an entertaining and thought-provoking show.
Paul is due to be executed. Whilst waiting with his executioners for the final go-ahead, he is witness to discussion around failed executions and the test run of a brand new piece of equipment.
Its creation and showroom presentation by Leanne Yau as The Engineer, mirrors themes around Functionalist debate in early totalitarian regimes.
Different teams creating and testing newly designed efficient killing machines blurs into a faceless bureaucracy with full freedom from responsibility.
What crimes has Todd Grantham’s quietly subdued Paul committed? More are being added all the time. Even he doesn’t know. Some of the many charges against him reveal a dystopian political system built on corruption. Where criminal charges can be waved away with money and faked evidence.
Jonny Pert as The Attorney, embodies the corruption and the old Razzle Dazzle within legal systems perfectly.
His delicious caricature performance grows stronger with each entry of his character. His costuming and make-up becomes more exaggerated, gradually developing into full blown Macaroni style.
No one seems to know what is classified as a crime until it has become arbitrarily imposed as one.
Some of the multiple ‘crimes’ that are revealed are simply those of loving family moments – shown in a blaze of love and misplaced care by Avanti Welaratna Pursell, highlighting the complexity of family relationships.
Heresy is another charge, but are they not just the kind of ideas and beliefs that are part of a liberal society?
Oliver Cowlishaw’s performance of Paul’s son is astonishing. He captures the nuances of addiction and the humanity, which is often overlooked by the judgmental. The costumers for his character are also to be congratulated for its accuracy.
Humanity begins to seep into The Dying Wish when things become real.
Flashes of political resistance, peace, laws manipulated into targetting activist groups and the ideas of Voltaire are daubed on the back wall. Initially they are hidden but grow in intensity.
The executioners Corragh-May White and Alfred Engedal themselves exhibit law-breaking behaviour, one being the display of Pride colours.
Initially they will the execution to hurry up. They are paid by the drop. But will they change their mind when it comes to Paul’s final moments? They did attempt to allow him his Dying Wish, a last chance to play the piano.
The final messaging feels very Work Brings Freedom. Has the system ultimately won? We need to look to our own political and legal systems for the final decision.
Kelvin Players’ production of The Dying Wish is an interesting piece of theatre with fine performances. Whilst it is entertaining and downright funny in places, it also pushes critical thought around justice systems and negative discourse around a range of polarising issues.
The Dying Wish will be at Kelvin Players until 31 October 2026
For more information and to book, visit: https://www.ticketsource.com/kelvinplayers/the-dying-wish/e-glmpkr
Follow Kelvin Players on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelvinplayers/
Cast and Creatives
Ingmar – Corragh-May White
Rooney – Alfred Engedal
Paul – Todd Grantham
Mum – Avanti Welaratna Pursell
Kiddy – Oliver Cowlishaw
The Cleaner – John Bard
The Engineer – Leanne Yau
The Attorney – Jonny Pert
Written by – Mauro Fazion
Director – Peter Spence
Production Manager – Sarah Lawrence
Stage Manager – Evie Stannard
Deputy Stage Managers – Caroline Bracher and Chris Hawkins
Lighting Desiginer – Richard Noble
Lighting Operator – Pramit Nandi
Sound Designer and Operator – Zoltán Mráz
Props Designer and Maker – Ted Tarrant
Wardrobe Team – Mayble Pitt and Miguel Garcia
Set Design Team – Peter Spence, Sarah Lawrence, Andy McBride-Coogan and Ted Tarrant
Construction Manager – Andy McBride-Coogan
Construction Team – Andy McBride-Coogan, Peter Conway-Hughes, Jonny Wilkinson, Susan Howe, Lucy Ashworth, Elliot Standish, Louise Gethin and V. Degtiariov
Lighting Riggers – Susan Howe and Chris Thomas
Choreographer – Avanti Welaratna Pursell
Original Piano Music Composed and Performed By – Anushka Pursell
For What’s On In Bristol:https://backstagebristol.com/
Bristol Culture: www.tiktok.com/@chopsybristoltt
Bristol Theatre Updates: https://www.facebook.com/backstagebristol
Bristol Theatre Updates:https://www.threads.com/@backstagebristol
Bristol News and Culture: https://www.youtube.com/user/chopsy
