Remote encounter: photographer and grumpy mentor unearth hidden secrets
A young wildlife photographer, Marcus, is navigating a tense apprenticeship with a notoriously taciturn veteran, Tim, at a desolate bird hide in the English countryside. The setting – a place where ‘no one can hear you scream’ – immediately sets a disquieting tone for Alice Hamilton’s quietly observant play, I Saw Satan at the 7-Eleven.
A shared past, a shifting game
The plot slowly unravels, revealing a surprising connection between Marcus and Tim: they hail from the same deprived housing estate, and both men grapple with shadowy family secrets. Hamilton masterfully builds tension, leaving the audience perpetually questioning Tim’s motives – is he genuinely mentoring Marcus, or is this a calculated maneuver? The play skillfully explores the complexities of mentorship and the uneasy dynamics between fathers and sons, with both characters carrying the weight of unspoken histories.
Sharp dialogue dissects the ethical responsibilities of photographers, particularly when documenting extreme suffering, and raises provocative questions about the authenticity of images – a debate punctuated by snide remarks about the impact of smartphones and artificial intelligence on the art form. It’s a critique that feels surprisingly relevant in an age of instant gratification and digital manipulation.
Marcus’s striking photograph of a Siberian bird, a rare specimen previously unseen outside its native Russia, adds another layer of intrigue. The play hinges, in part, on the validity of this photograph, with Tim asserting it’s a forgery – a claim that fuels further suspicion and adds a palpable sense of risk to the encounter.
Despite its nuanced exploration of character and relationships, the play’s narrative arc occasionally feels somewhat constrained, sacrificing dramatic flourish for a more restrained, emotionally resonant experience. However, the performances are consistently strong, and the writing, despite its gentle pace, possesses a remarkable tenderness and a darkly humorous undercurrent. This production, currently running at Hampstead Theatre, continues the theatre’s tradition of showcasing emerging talent – and this one is particularly noteworthy.
Ultimately, I Saw Satan at the 7-Eleven isn't about grand pronouncements or sweeping gestures; it's about the quiet, often unsettling, connections forged in unexpected places. It’s a reminder that even in the most remote corners of the world, secrets lurk beneath the surface, waiting to be unearthed.