The World Of Extreme Happiness Review – The Shed- National Theatre

I was not quite sure what I was getting myself into when going to watch this production, having read only a small synopsis, because I don’t like to read up too much before I watch a play.  On arrival I saw that the set was basic so I knew the performance had to be from a strong cast, and the cast was just that.

Sunny a country bumpkin who’s life started off being thrown away in a bucket of pig slop to die as she was a unwanted girl child. However her fate changed when she smiled and was raised to become a strong minded young girl who wants to travel to the city to pay for her brothers education. Working in a factory she meets her personal limits and decides to aspire for more. Her brother soon joins her as he wants to join the Opera and he makes her realise that conforming to this “city life” isn’t the way forward. In fact it leads to a emotional ending….

Most of the cast play more than one character which I think often shows a actors strength. In this case I feel it was done very well, however Katie Leung’s (Sunny) natural style of acting stood out to me.

The set design (Chloe Lamford), lighting (Phillip Gladwell) and sound (Max and Ben Ringham) ensured that the production came to life when need be. The writing is raw giving a true depiction of life for rural workers in China, the strict 1 child policy and how corrupt the authorities can be.

Overall this funny, hard hitting and emotional production was a little drawn out in some scenes however the director Michael Longhurst has made it so you sit up and pay attention the whole way through.

For dates and to buy tickets: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/the-world-of-extreme-happiness?dates#tabpos

Photos by Richard H Smith