The Unseen

The Unseen photos

The Unseen description

Do you like your theatre serious, harrowing and insightful? This one’s for you. The Unseen by Craig Wright (Six Feet Under, Lost, Dirty Sexy Money) premieres at the capital’s Riverside Studios for a strictly limited season, exploring what happens to two strangers imprisoned by a brutal totalitarian regime.

The Unseen premiered at the Humana Festival in 2007 then appeared at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre. The production includes thrilling post-performance discussions along with the UK premiere of the international exhibition ‘Faces of Russian Resistance’.

A disturbing dystopian story

This thought provoking drama reveals the isolation, guilt and dehumanising impact of totalitarian repression in a play that reminds some of Waiting For Godot, and the plot goes like this. Two strangers are imprisoned for unknown reasons. Wallace and Valdez communicate via their cell walls, never actually seeing one another. As the time passes and they try to figure out how to escape they have to cope with waves of hope followed by crashing disillusionment.

Finding solace in each other’s company, the men create their own philosophies in an attempt to give meaning to their pointless imprisonment. The man who is torturing them is also suffering, torn between duty to his job and feelings of revulsion about what he’s doing. Ultimately he plans a showdown that’ll change everything.

Creative excellence

The creative team includes set and costume design by Simon Kenny, lighting design by Anna Watson, and sound design by Mike Walker. James Robert Moore is associate director. The composer is Danny Short, who also executive produces the show with Peter Huntley and Callum Runciman for Smart Entertainment.

Playing at Riverside Studios

101 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9BN GB (venue info)

Directions