Low Level Panic at Orange Tree had little going for it

Low Level Panic was another play at Orange Tree Theatre that I failed to see the point of. It may have made an impact when first performed thirty years ago but the only thing that the play seemed to be trying to do was give us the professional ladette's view of life which is now not new. It was not even the first play this year that I had seen that had a naked woman in a bath in it.

In trying to shock us with tales of casual sex and masturbation the play did not bother with any sort of a story or with much characterisation. At the end of the play we knew very little about the young women or their circumstances, nor did we care. Low Level Panic, I presume, referred to the women's feelings of trepidation towards aspects of their lives which while accurate also confessed that the drama was mild.

I felt sorry for the three competent actress for having so little to play with. Only the deliciously Welsh Sophie Melville had anything interesting to do as she told us about a recent sexual assault that had led her to being very wary of going out. This change of pace and tone was very welcome but was not developed and the darkness was allowed to lift.

The one redeeming factor which made the play bearable was the humour. It was never very funny but it made me smile often enough to sit through the eighty five minutes in comfort if not in pleasure.