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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2017 7:13:35 GMT
Enjoyed this a lot. Young woman takes a zero-hours job in an internet shopping "fulfillment centre", dealing with constant monitoring, unrealistic targets, poor working conditions, no work guarantees. At the same time she's having to care for her brother who has OCD and has just been assessed as fit for work. Hard hitting but also more entertaining and (in parts) uplifting than that scenario would suggest! Presume from the level of detail that the author (first-time playwright Katherine Soper) has worked in that sort of environment. (edited to add - yes she has: www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/nov/17/bruntwood-prize-katherine-soper-wish-list-welfare-cuts-royal-exchange ) Well designed production - one end of the traverse stage has a distribution shute for the warehouse packages, which also at times is used to deliver items for the set and costume changes. Other end of the set has the girl and her brother's flat - I think you're better sitting at that end, if you get the choice. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2017 14:12:20 GMT
Hated Hated Hated this
Acting atrocious
Characters grossly drawn
And the biggest flaw
OCD would not be eligible for DLA
The inaccuracies were further exacerbated
As the affected character was not on any medication nor receiving any active treatment for the supposed "severe" OCD
We would all love money for sitting at home
The benefits system does not work like this
You have to engage in an active dialogue
But what you can't do is say you have an illness
Refuse and/or reject offered treatment
And then expect a weekly cheque
As a result I had no empathy and found the play laughable
Much like Love
It's a chance for middle class audiences to indulge in poorly portrayaled social inequality porn
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2017 14:43:03 GMT
Hated Hated Hated this Acting atrocious Characters grossly drawn And the biggest flaw OCD would not be eligible for DLA [ Yes it is FAKE NEWS |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2017 14:45:49 GMT
Hated Hated Hated this Acting atrocious Characters grossly drawn And the biggest flaw OCD would not be eligible for DLA The inaccuracies were further exacerbated As the affected character was not on any medication nor receiving any active treatment for the supposed "severe" OCD We would all love money for sitting at home The benefits system does not work like this You have to engage in an active dialogue But what you can't do is say you have an illness Refuse and/or reject offered treatment And then expect a weekly cheque As a result I had no empathy and found the play laughable Much like Love It's a chance for middle class audiences to indulge in poorly portrayaled social inequality porn Sorry just read the rest of ur ramblings. As an ex employee of the benefits system I can inform u u r incorrect. |
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Post by wiggymess on Jan 19, 2017 14:49:06 GMT
And the biggest flaw OCD would not be eligible for DLA Why don't you do some very basic research before declaring a complete falsity as the 'biggest flaw'? Just embarrassing. Hoping to bag some £10 Monday tickets for this... |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2017 16:17:56 GMT
And the biggest flaw OCD would not be eligible for DLA Why don't you do some very basic research before declaring a complete falsity as the 'biggest flaw'? Just embarrassing. Hoping to bag some £10 Monday tickets for this... Yes I only deal with this on a daily basis In my job But for your benefit 😂😂 "The most crucial component of your application is the medical documentation supporting your claim Your medical records must be extensive and clearly show You've been formally diagnosed with OCD and you receive regular treatment from a qualified medical professional preferably a psychiatrist Your records must also list any medications You just work closely with your psychiatrist or doctor in order to collect the appropriate documentation" Given the character portrayed in this play had disengaged from treatment (it was referred to only in passing that he used to attend some sort of centre) and had refused input They made their own folder of evidence Which would be basically ignored He would not be assessed positively as meeting the requirements for DLA But hey What do I know I only do it as part of my job 😂😂😂 They would ask in the assessment "What medications are you taking for your condition Who are you seeing and how often What psychological treatment are you having" The character shown in the play was having nothing seeing no one So the outcome of the assessment was unsurprising It was false of the play to present it as an injustice |
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Post by wiggymess on Jan 19, 2017 16:29:36 GMT
So you've just proven that indeed OCD would be eligible for DLA. Thanks.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2017 16:52:49 GMT
So you've just proven that indeed OCD would be eligible for DLA. Thanks. This character with OCD Would not be eligible for DLA And the audience were falsely made to think this was a problem with the "system" when actually he didn't meet the criteria And we were supposed to feel there had been some injustice |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2017 17:14:45 GMT
The OP baldly claimed "OCD would not be eligible for DLA" but the same poster has now contradicted that original statement and explained that OCD may be eligible for DLA if the application meets certain criteria, most crucially with supporting medical documentation.
Probably the play isn't intended as a DLA assessment roleplay exercise and it has instead deployed dramatic licence, as is quite common in drama.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2017 17:29:16 GMT
The OP baldly claimed "OCD would not be eligible for DLA" but the same poster has now contradicted that original statement and explained that OCD may be eligible for DLA if the application meets certain criteria, most crucially with supporting medical documentation. Probably the play isn't intended as a DLA assessment roleplay exercise and it has instead deployed dramatic licence, as is quite common in drama. The play gave the impression the character was automatically entitled to benefits and payment Just for having OCD I apologise for the inaccuracy of the wording of the initial post However I did refer to the character not engaging in an active dialogue in this same post This I have then later elaborated on as meaning active treatment The play didn't bother to explore any of this Instead conveniently smeared the state as uncaring and denier of money |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2017 17:48:33 GMT
Aren't benefit eligibility criteria set so as to exclude, in practice, many people who would be eligible in a compassionate society? Without effective advocates, claimants are rejected by the system, and politicians are increasingly designing the system to do just that.
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Post by Steve on Jan 24, 2017 16:06:37 GMT
Liked the themes, Loved the characters! Some spoilers follow. . . This is a play about a young girl, Tamsin, who must juggle caring for her OCD brother, Dean, with earning a crust doing zero-hours packaging work for an Amazon-style mail-order company. Thematically, this play has two targets, the Government and Capitalism, and doesn't score a bullseye against either of them. With regard to the Government, the play is weak, relying on a whole bunch of contrivances and coincidences to indict the Government for not caring for the OCD-suffering brother. For a play that really knows how to characterise and condemn the ineffectiveness of Government to care for it's citizens, I preferred Alexander Zeldin's "Love." With regard to Capitalism, the production depicts Tamsin's packaging job as a Hunger Games style battle to survive, as screens show how many items each employee packs per hour, and employees run off against each other to be faster, and not get fired. Employees accrue points for slowness and for "time-wasting" toilet breaks, knowing that at 3 points, there will be no more work. Employees compete in the hope of moving beyond zero hours hell, and being rewarded with a proper job. For me, the electronic music that underscores, and heightens the tension of the competition, actually made the packaging look like fun. I felt an excited urge to rush onto the stage and start packaging things myself to see if I could beat the high-score on the scoreboard. I was jealous of the actors that they got to compete in this exciting competition. Contrast this to the monotony of zero hours work, as depicted in Alexander Zeldin's "Beyond Caring," for example. Zeldin makes such work seem like an inhuman unendurable chore, whereas in this prodction, there is the charge of competition, a manufactured soundscape to enhance it, and great camaraderie among employees to boot. One useful thing the play does is to make a clear visual analogy between Dean's repetitious obsessive compulsive disorder, at one end of the stage, and the repetitive compulsive order of capitalist productivity at the other end. Although the play never suggests any other mode of living that might be better than capitalism, it does serve as an universal whine about life in general, in which we are all born to flay about on our own hamster wheel of productivity from birth to death. Where the play really scores, however, are in two of it's characterisations: Erin Doherty, as Tamsin, is a stressed, withdrawn, shy and anxious nerd, who opens up like a delicate flower to her inspiring and optimistic younger co-worker, Luke, played by Shaquille Ali-Yebuah, whose buoyancy, quirkiness and naturalism are her antidote. The scenes between these two were so lovely that I was on the verge of tears, as Tamsin gained the courage to sing Meatloaf to her Meatloaf-ignorant adorable new friend. Joseph Quinn, as Dean, gives great OCD, but his character here is a mere cipher of suffering, and does not make the most of him. Quinn's ease with effortless expression was on display recently as Miss Havisham's jealous and guilty brother in Dickensian on the BBC, as well as in "Death Watch," at the Print Room, where he was incandescent as a human limpet, all furtive eyes and sudden movements, jealously guarding the object of his hero worship. This production is a chance to see a great young actor make the most of an underwritten role. As the man in charge of the mail-order factory, Aleksander Mikic was simultaneously stern and sympathetic (and bore a strong resemblance in countenance and mannerisms to Dr. Luka Kovac in ER, for those who remember that show lol). For me, the funny, natural and touching relationship of Erin Doherty's Tamsin and Shaquille Ali-Yebuah's Luke raised this production to an unmissable 4 stars.  PS: Sit as centrally as you can, on either side of this traverse stage. Prioritise centrality over row. Scenes occur at both ends of the stage, and in the centre, you get the best of it. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2017 22:49:24 GMT
f*** me this was the worst thing on seen in years and if it weren't for the actress in it (whom was FAB) it would have been a complete waste of two hours.
Theatre shouldn't be boring. This really felt that it desperately wanted to b a royal Court play but it didn't have anything based in reality (bear in mind I have worked for the jobcentre, I currently work with the most vulnerable in society, I lived 10 mins from where the play is set and very briefly worked at the Amazon it was supposed to b set in)
Interestingly that this won the Manchester award that Yen won last year, both are young siblings living in squalid condition and both burn a lead character in them. Totally entering this year with my play about two poor sister who live in squalid conditions who burn their social worker at the end. Easiest £16,000 I've ever made
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2017 23:00:51 GMT
f*** me this was the worst thing on seen in years and if it weren't for the actress in it (whom was FAB) it would have been a complete waste of two hours. Theatre shouldn't be boring. This really felt that it desperately wanted to b a royal Court play but it didn't have anything based in reality (bear in mind I have worked for the jobcentre, I currently work with the most vulnerable in society, I lived 10 mins from where the play is set and very briefly worked at the Amazon it was supposed to b set in) Interestingly that this won the Manchester award that Yen won last year, both are young siblings living in squalid condition and both burn a lead character in them. Totally entering this year with my play about two poor sister who live in squalid conditions who burn their social worker at the end. Easiest £16,000 I've ever made Sorry you didn't enjoy it You had such a good run at RC of late as well! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2017 17:33:04 GMT
f*** me this was the worst thing on seen in years and if it weren't for the actress in it (whom was FAB) it would have been a complete waste of two hours. Theatre shouldn't be boring. This really felt that it desperately wanted to b a royal Court play but it didn't have anything based in reality (bear in mind I have worked for the jobcentre, I currently work with the most vulnerable in society, I lived 10 mins from where the play is set and very briefly worked at the Amazon it was supposed to b set in) Interestingly that this won the Manchester award that Yen won last year, both are young siblings living in squalid condition and both burn a lead character in them. Totally entering this year with my play about two poor sister who live in squalid conditions who burn their social worker at the end. Easiest £16,000 I've ever made Sorry you didn't enjoy it You had such a good run at RC of late as well! . I know, right. I will cast this off as being the Royal Exchanges fault. VF can do no wrong (apart from this, Unreachable and that North Korean thing the other year) |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2017 19:22:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2017 20:01:12 GMT
Yeah she worked in a warehouse when she weren't at CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY and the 'I REALLY DO HAVE A MEMEBER OF MY FAMILY THAT HAS OCD AS TERRIBLE AS I WROTE' is rubbish. The thing is Yen (which is pretty samey) was written by someone that had written lots of plays. It was well written if obvious the playwright didn't know these people, WL was not believable and not written from personal experience. It was desperate to be a play that meant something |
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Post by wiggymess on Feb 1, 2017 12:24:28 GMT
Not going to make it to this so picked up the text.
Not sure if it really needs to be seen? Others can attest to that - I didn't get the feeling I was missing out on too much by only reading it.
I like Luke's character a lot, but overall was slightly disappointed. Found it pretty didactic, but it's a very zeitgeist-y piece and look forward to what the writer comes up with next.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2017 16:02:02 GMT
What was the blood on his head about as well? I thought he had genuinely cut his head coz it made no sense whatsoever
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Post by crowblack on Feb 10, 2017 17:18:48 GMT
I’ve only just found this forum site but thought I’d add my thoughts on some of the comments above because I’ve seen Wish List in both Manchester and London. One of the many reasons why I love this play so much is that I’ve experienced something similar in my own life and this is the most powerful depiction of it I’ve seen. It was often a difficult watch, but always compelling – there are scenes I recognise, sentences I’ve said, small details that really hit home if you’ve been through it, and the characterisation and the interleaving of the themes was so well done. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the young writer and cast go on to do – I’ve booked to see Erin Doherty in ‘Junkyard‘ (regarding Theatremonkey's comments about her singing voice, she won the Sondheim Student of the Year Award, so I presume it's excellent!) and was lucky enough to catch Deathwatch last year – as Steve commented, Joseph Quinn was electric as the slithery Maurice and is definitely one to watch. Joseph Quinn, as Dean, gives great OCD, but his character here is a mere cipher of suffering, and does not make the most of him. Quinn's ease with effortless expression was on display recently as Miss Havisham's jealous and guilty brother in Dickensian on the BBC, as well as in "Death Watch," at the Print Room, where he was incandescent as a human limpet, all furtive eyes and sudden movements, jealously guarding the object of his hero worship. This production is a chance to see a great young actor make the most of an underwritten role. On some of the points raised on these pages, and the comment that Dean felt “underwritten”, there was originally a much longer opening scene between Dean and Tamsin which I saw in the Royal Exchange preview but which was then almost entirely cut. Maybe I’m biased because of my interest in the OCD theme, but I think this was a shame – I felt it set up the siblings’ relationship and Dean’s character more, their situation with the DWP (Tamsin taking a phone call from them because Dean couldn’t bring himself to handle it) and further highlighted the cruelty and irony of the missed phone calls, the breakthrough of Dean’s behaviour with Luke and the mirroring, poignant tea-making scene at the end. The scene is included in the Royal Exchange playtext – the Royal Court’s text is 10 pages shorter. |
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Post by crowblack on Feb 10, 2017 19:50:51 GMT
Thanks - it's nice to find it! I've just got back into regular theatregoing this last year, having been a theatre addict when I was a teenager, and I was disappointed the Guardian has stopped keeping its review comments threads open for the duration of a play's run like it used to. Very few of my friends go any more so enthusing about plays on Facebook is a bit pointless! Btw, I find the seat reviews very helpful - the person I often go with is 6'2" so finds most theatre seating uncomfortable (though I daresay whoever is sitting behind him isn't too happy either!)
Yes, there was a point in the play where Dean has scratted his hair so much he's bleeding - for a moment I thought the actor was bleeding for real.
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Post by perfectspy on Feb 10, 2017 23:16:53 GMT
I quite liked this play. The woman who played Tasmin was brilliant, but I did question whether the writing credible or not. I have heard the stories about how Amazon works but I'm not sure how accurate these are.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2017 11:30:42 GMT
I quite liked this play. The woman who played Tasmin was brilliant, but I did question whether the writing credible or not. I have heard the stories about how Amazon works but I'm not sure how accurate these are. When I (briefly) worked for them u had this sensor on u and if u stopped moving for a certain amount of time it informs management, they search people randomly and u have drug tests. Awful company to work for |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2017 16:39:44 GMT
^sounds very caring to me, monitoring if you have stopped moving. At least they know where to find the corpse... That's what I was thinking. [An Amazon manager trips over something.] "What? Oh crap, we've lost another one." "This keeps happening. D'you think we ought to try feeding them?" "Steady on, now. This isn't a hotel. Anyway, there's 50kg of meat right there on the floor and nobody's touching it. They can't be that hungry." |
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