Clive

Arcola Theatre

Playing until 23rd August 2025

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Photo credit: Ikin Yum

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Isolation from others and retreating into your own personal space can create a sense of comfort for some, but it can also take its toll. Having not had any human interaction or stepped outside of his flat for two years, Thomas’s (Paul Keating) work and life start to blend together and like many, starts talking to himself and inanimate objects, and in Thomas’s case, a cactus he lovingly named Clive.

Thomas eloquently narratives his freedom to create an environment that suits his needs and one that would allow him to work most optimally, yet he is constantly and comically distracted by endless cleaning, reorganisation and always looking out of the window at the people in the building opposite and the animals that inhabit the canal. Michael Wynne’s script reminds the audience that joy and happiness could be derived from work, especially when it is aligned with one’s own interests and conducted within a supportive environment. Running alongside this, it also paints a vivid reminder on the importance on the other aspects of one’s life that ought not to be neglected.

Keating is able to fully demonstrate the joy Thomas derives from his job in IT and being a valued member of the company. There is sparkle in his eyes as he performs house chores and also as he glimpses into the lives of his neighbours. Although it was fun to see Thomas dance across the stage in excitement, the distinction of Thomas’s feelings towards work and life become blurred and inseparable. Thus, more direction and creativity could be given to better discern whether there is anything that truly brings joy to Thomas. The fleeting moments in which Thomas gleans to the outside world could be made more impactful, but as presented, these are too short lived and do not fully counteract the misery brought about by the confines of the flat and Thomas’s job.

While the joyous and happy aspects are underdeveloped, the play has done a fantastic job in showcasing the depression caused by Thomas’s company, bringing ample relatability to those who have had any experience in a working environment. The trauma of it all sends Thomas into a chaotic display of explosion and even manifests as Clive’s deteriorating health, requiring Thomas to go to the extreme measures, again a parallel to his own mental wellbeing as he remains isolated and confined to the space he previously found comfort in.

Chris Davey’s lighting conveys artificialness and realism, with bright white lights when Thomas is working and mentally confined to an online presence and multicolour preset mood lightings, and more soft yellow lights when he tries to indulge in the outside world. The creatives even managed to achieve a sense of villainy in the smart lighting system Thomas had set himself, which turns on him when he is at his most vulnerable.

The parallel experience created by Wynne is at the core of what draws the audience in, making them subconsciously nod along as the story progresses. Despite the fact that not many of us would have gone to such extreme lengths that end in amputation, it is without a doubt an experience that many, if not all of us, could relate to.

Creatives

Writer: Michael Wynne

Director: Lucy Bailey

Designer: Mike Britton

Lighting Designer: Chris Davey

Sound Designer: Nick Powell