Jellyfish
★★★☆☆ Intriguingly absurdist
Bedlam Theatre: Tue 29 Apr – Sun 4 May 2025
Review by Allan Wilson
Jellyfish, a co-production between The EUTC and Filfbag Theatre at the Bedlam to Sunday, is an intriguingly absurdist tale.
The play was written by William Osbon, an MSc Playwriting student, and won the Edinburgh University Department of English Guthrie Endowment Play Award for 2025. It deals with the impact of a very human jellyfish on the dull, routine lives of an aspirational young couple, Willow (Raphaella Hawkins) and Smiff (played by Osbon).
Raphaella Hawkins and William Osbon. Pic: Andrew Morris
The production begins in a manner strongly reminiscent of American TV soaps of the 1950s or 60s, with the domestic travails of a couple in a stagnating relationship; he chasing the corporate dollar, she listless and bored at home. The arrival of the Jellyfish character (Anya McChristie) soon takes it into a different territory.
Smiff and Willow now try to adjust to a new reality living with a Jellyfish, each taking turns to share their concerns about the relationship with her as if she were a pet dog. This leads to amusing scenes as Willow speaks over a game of Scrabble about how she used to love Smiff, but now finds him selfish, while Smiff and the Jellyfish bond as they chop wood together. The Jellyfish begins to long for a return to a more normal life, spending time on the beach, playing with shells.
compassion and complexity
The cast are excellent, with Osbon capturing the selfishness and need of Smiff, and Hawkins conveying the boredom and desire for change that are central to Willow’s character. However, McChristie is the star of the show, skilfully portraying the compassion and complexity of the Jellyfish character, through gesture, facial expression and utterances that conveyed meaning, without using “real” language.
Anya McChristie. Pic: Andrew Morris
The one disappointment about the character is costume manager James Harvey’s lack of any attempt to represent the appearance of a jellyfish, particularly as Zoe Bullock’s Gracie and the Start of the End of the World (Again) at the 2024 Fringe featured a particularly splendid jellyfish costume.
There is a strong creative team behind the production, led by Writer, William Osbon, Director, Matilda Seddon and Co-producers, Amy Stinton and Becky O’Donnell. Sound Designer Morgan Hazelip deserves a particular mention for his skilful music selection, mainly, but not exclusively, from the 1950s/60s, representing the vibe of the time with bossa nova instrumentals and songs like Sixteen Reasons (Why I Love You) by Bill and Doree Post.
enjoyable
Overall, this is an enjoyable production, with lots of imagination and humour. But even a piece of absurdist theatre needs some explanation as to how a “jellyfish” that looked very human could live on tinned spaghetti in a house with a married couple. The main issue is with the last 20 minutes, which ramble and fail to retain the interest.
Running time: One hour and 35 minutes (no interval)
Bedlam Theatre, 11B Bristo Place, EH1 1EZ.
Tue 29 Apr – Sun 4 May 2025
Evenings: 7.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here.
Anya McChristie and Raphaella Hawkins. Pic Andrew Morris
Anya McChristie and William Osbon with Raphaella Hawkins. Pic: Andrew Morris
ENDS
