Contractions (2025)
Performances: Tuesday 28 October – Saturday 1 November 2025, Old Fire Station
Contents
Introduction
An ink-black comedy about the boundaries between work and play. Emma's been seeing Darren. She thinks she's in love. Her boss thinks she's in breach of contract.....
Preview from the SLT website
What drew you to directing this play?
I first read Contractions at drama school in 2015 when I played The Manager. What struck me is how brutally dark this play really is (even though it’s still a comedy). I don’t think I’d ever read such a dark comedy before, but since it’s one of my favourite genres and is so cleverly written, I thought it would be a good opportunity to direct it. As a first time director at SLT (I’ve directed elsewhere before), I thought this two-hander would make an excellent SLT debut – and it’s a short one!
What's the play about?
Set in an office, you’ll meet two characters – Emma (an employee, played by Marissa Ferrara) and her boss (known as The Manager, played by Cal Beckett). The play starts off pretty much business as usual (BAU) when Emma is called into the Manager’s office. However, as things progress over a series of short scenes, it soon becomes very apparent that all is not well, and the boundaries between work and play start to become very blurred….
What directing challenges have you found?
One of the main challenges was making a decision on how to stage the play, as there were a few possible options. I knew that I wanted the stage to be very small, and that I wanted the audience to be very close to the stage in order to intensify the feeling of intimacy and claustrophobia. With the help of my set designer I’m confident that we came up with the best solution, so I hope the audience will get that sense of having nowhere to hide.
What do you think the audience will take away from the show?
I think the audience will be surprised by how dark this play is (as I was when I first read it!). Thankfully, there are some very funny moments too, though they’re perhaps not always comfortable laughs. The situation Emma finds herself in can almost be described as absurd. However, I’m pretty sure that some elements of her experience will be relatable to anyone who has ever worked in an office – though perhaps not quite so extreme.
Sum up the play in three words
Short, sharp, shocking
Cast
- Emma - Marissa Ferrara
- The Manager - Cal Beckett
Crew
- Assistant Director - Tirusanthan Thiruvilangam
- Stage Manager - Caroline Durant
- Lighting Designer - Tom Mathias
- Operator - Noah Wright shared with Caroline Durant
- Set Design - David Chappell
- Show Photography - Phil Gammon
- Rigging - Sean Thomas
- Set build and paint - Barry Heselden, Tim Allwright, James Hebblethwaite, Ed Smith, Sean Thomas, cast and crew
Reviews
The following (anonymous) reviews were received by SLT:
- Very powerful performance by the two actresses. It reminded me of 1984 by George Orwell, how people are controlled by an institution.
- This was a very well-crafted play about human relations in the workplace. The two actresses were very convincing in their roles as manager and employee, and the storyline was a perceptive insight with some very witty lines. I enjoyed this performance very much, and the South London Theatre is a warm and welcoming venue. This was a very enjoyable night out.
- I was keen to see this play by Mike Bartlett, as I didn't know it. I deliberately avoided reading up on it beforehand; much happier to let theatre do its magic before me with no preconceptions! At 75 mins with no interval - and a two-hander - it's a demanding piece. The actors kept up the pace superbly, and I was totally absorbed. Congrats to cast and crew for an excellent evening.
- The Old Fire Station in Norwood is a warm and welcoming venue with very pleasant staff. There is a cozy bar downstairs for pre performance drinks. The theatre is small and intimate with very comfortable seating. The sound quality was excellent. The stage set was minimal and provided the perfect environment for the play. The cast of two put on a very convincing performance which contained elements of dark humour and depicted a power dynamic between the two characters that was at times excruciating. A great performance and a very worthwhile trip to the theatre. Well done.
- Two person play set in the manger’s office. Staging basic but effective. Emma (employee) changes her top several times which helps with the passage of time. A dark comedy which plays out the absurdities of corporate life and rigid HR policies. The conversation is between Emma (sales representative) and her manager (has no other name) who interrogate Emma about her relationship with another male employee. Goes way too far! One wonders it Emma will ultimately become the manager. Strong performances from the two women.
Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.
