Review: Dead Good by Vamos Theatre

Created over two years and in collaboration with palliative care patients and specialists, Dead Good certainly confronts serious and sombre subject matter. Yet, this production is full of uplifting mischief and laughter too, as Bob and Bernard learn to live life to the full until the very end. Alan Riley and James Greaves excel as the two aging, terminally ill men.

This is a masterclass in beautifully crafted and articulate full mask acting. Bidi Iredale and Radhika Aggarwal provide exceptional support as an array of supporting characters, and Rachael Savage has directed a powerful and poignant drama.

Vamos Theatre specialises in mask work (they have created excellent web resources for teaching mask work to KS3 and KS4 students), and the play also has no dialogue but does employ a deeply evocative music score by Janie Armour. At first, I thought the singular expression of each mask would limit the actors, but they are so skilled physically in conveying a range of emotion, as well as incorporating the music into their performances, that you'd swear the masks’ expressions were changing throughout. Credit must also be given to the mask maker, Russell Dean, for his brilliant creations.

This play may be about two elderly men, but should appeal to all ages, as it's ultimately about the universal theme of being alive, figuring out what really matters and truly living. Drama students could learn a lot from Vamos Theatre regarding mask work, physicality in characterisation, incorporating music into performance and, in terms of Bob and Bernard, the challenge of playing older characters. This production also provides the opportunity to confront serious material and emotions in a positive, educational and cathartic manner.

Dead Good is one of those rare productions that restores a sense of perspective and is good for the soul. It's about what finally matters and, here too, there is a deep exploration of that most ignored form of love – platonic friendship. Through an organic use of technology, such as projected text messages, it becomes apparent that what matters are the memories that we make. Yes, this is a play about death, but it teaches us how to live too.

Vamos Theatre offers learning resources, including the mask:ED Digital Learning Portal, quizzes, mask technique films, education packs and much more.

www.vamostheatre.co.uk/learning/resources