The stage reminds of a post-apocalyptic setting mixed with an untidy student room. The surreal number of cables spanning across furniture and the walls already gives away an indication of the illogical and nightmarish nature of the play. Yet the theme is incredibly real and shows deep and honest emotions in a conflict between regret and moving on.
Vic (Katharine Davenport) left Charlie (Samuel Lawrence) five years ago and made herself a decent life in London. Charlie is stuck in his pain that manifests itself as a direful medical mystery. Yet their roles are about to be turned around as Vic admits that her life might not be as perfect as it seems. After all, there are still threads connecting the past lovers.
After they encounter each other for the first time since Vic’s flight, the world turns surreal and suddenly the stage turns into a horror setting that isn’t all too different from a Hitchcock classic.
While the play is filled with tension, the plot is nevertheless too monotonous and at times the dialogue feels a bit repetitive – which fits the theme of being stuck in the past, but there could have been more to it.
Without giving away too much – Threads made the whole audience cringe and cover their eyes more than once, as the scenes turn graphic. Facing decisions made in the past turns the characters brutal and carries them to an emotional borderland that leaves the stage in a bloody mess.