Oath in Blue is a performance organised by the student group Watch This, partnered with STAR (Student Action for Refugees). While the play was written and directed with admirable intentions and is an intriguing concept towards people who struggle in such situations, the execution was unimpressive. The exposition sets up strong expectations and quality dialogue, but quickly dwindles from there.

The purpose and funding efforts of Oath in Blue are helping a fellow student group fight for a good cause, but this context only holds minor importance in the play itself. The character of Sofia (Amy Beattie) faces the possibility of seeking refuge from parental abuse, yet that plotline is entirely clouded by the romance between her and her classmate, Jack (Benjie Poole).

The story follows a linear narrative – Dante (Clara Picó), the leader of an undisclosed criminal organisation, faces heartbreak after the birth of his daughter and uproots his life to England. Once his daughter Sofia grows up and falls for her classmate, his own past experiences resurface as he does everything in his power to keep them apart. 

The play…relies heavily on romance tropes, with most dialogues coming off as tired and cliched

In the programme, the director’s notes mention the basis of the narrative taking inspiration from real-life events. However, the play itself relies heavily on romance tropes, with most dialogues coming off as tired and clichéd. Moreover, the plot was built around the tragedy of the couple, instead of it simply contributing to the plot or showcasing any real-life struggle. As this plotline blooms, the mood of the play feels completely separate from the initial scenes. 

One of the most striking points of the production is the heavily detailed set, which, at the beginning, contributes heavily to the action

One of the most striking points of the production is the heavily detailed set, which, at the beginning, contributes heavily to the action. However, as the play progresses, it becomes one of its biggest flaws. Movement is one of the main aspects of this play, from the major change in residence and constant switch between two houses to its pacing and timeline. With such a specific set, the background begins to feel stagnant and hinders the perception of constantly changing scenery. It is a living space with a calendar, framed art and a map with pinned boarding passes; the space includes an entryway with records which remain the same through a ten year time skip and an untouched kitchenette. The set seems to constantly restrain the setting with its inflexibility.

Pacing is a crucial part of the play in order to clearly establish the timeline and this could have been executed more smoothly. The timeline felt a little hazy, as we never get any sense of the characters age. The ten year skip after the exposition – at the end of which Sofia was still a baby – brings us directly to the beginning of Sofia and Jack’s growing romantic relationship. The nature and vernacular used in their conversations with each other and their friends clearly indicates a certain level of maturity, yet according to the order of events she should just be finishing up primary school. Furthermore, the use of music to compress certain scenes initially seemed simple and endearing but soon felt cluttered and hard to follow, particularly with the limited props and the unchanging set. These scenes were mainly used for progressing the relationship between the couple, which eventually made it come across as rather underdeveloped, especially for the amount of importance held to the story. Most of the creative choices would be better suited on screen, where visual effects and change in background could aid the scenes.

The overall performance was well-delivered by the whole cast, making the show enjoyable to watch

On the other hand, the overall performance was well-delivered by the whole cast, making the show enjoyable to watch. The characters themselves, while inconsistent at times, were engaging. However banal the dialogues got, the standard of the act didn’t diminish. In my opinion, Clara Picó as Dante may have been the show stealer here, as the articulate and expressive manner of delivery was applaudable. In addition, the costume remained adequate and appropriate for the entirety of the play, serving well to express the character’s personalities, with only the one strange exception of Dahlia’s (Konyinsola Salako) flip-flops, which stood as a sharp contrast to her formal dress.

Overall, Oath in Blue is interesting enough to enjoy at surface level, but in my opinion the plot came from a quite privileged view of struggle. Most aspects of this play would work much better in a medium like film but it is still worth a watch.

Rating: 3/5

---

If you would like tickets to see Oath in Blue, you can reserve them here!

Enjoyed this review? Read more from Redbrick Culture below:

Musical Review: Urinetown

Theatre Review: Elf the Musical

Theatre Review: Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas