Review of ‘Welcome to Pemfort’: “Towering premise doesn’t hold strong as a play”

London’s Soho Theatre presents this new play by budding writer Sarah Power, which explores the reintegration of a returning citizen landing a job in a historical destination. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show to let us know if its fortified narrative will catapult it to success.

We’ve all done things in the past that we are not proud of. And I wonder if this play might be the case for those involved. There was so much promise in its stirring premise, which revolves around a returning citizen seeking to rebuild his life after committing a terrible crime in his late teens. However, there’s barely anything to applaud, commend, or even acknowledge in Welcome to Pemfort, which opened last night at London’s Soho Theatre, and whose shallow, clunky execution has left me questioning the current standards of professional dramaturgy.

Every author needs a start. And we can laud the intentions behind its concept. Playwright Sarah Power makes a bold move by depicting the unfair stigma faced by formerly convicted people. Or at least, that was her attempt — although probably not hard enough. Wistfully, the results speak for themselves.

The Visitor Experience Assistants of Pemfort, a fictitious Medieval fort located in some small English town, are having a staff meeting to organise a fundraising event, which will help them finance the repair of the Clock Tower.

As their brainstorming session progresses, they are informed that a new member, Kurtis, has joined their team. He is the manager’s acquaintance. And he’s taken the job in hopes of a second chance. Despite their reservations, his coworkers agree to give him an opportunity. That is, until they find out about the actual reason why he was incarcerated.

Although the germinal idea brims with potential, the entire narrative approach doesn’t comply on any level. There is poignancy in its essence, but no real pathos or introspection. Both the characters and the recount are treated with extreme superficiality. And eventually, their delivery comes off unnatural, detached, and somewhat childish.

Several subplots try to make the roles more three-dimensional. Kurtis’s abusive upbringing, which led him to his aggressive outburst, collides with his colleague Glenn’s similar raising, who instead became extremely protective of his mother and dismisses the possibility that anyone alike could ever change.

Albeit those background elements set the tone for a powerful drama, the script constricts them into a few passing lines, refusing any efforts to delve into them. Consequently, their evolution is nonexistent. And so is their resonance. There’s no compelling transformation in their journey, whose exploration is limp, incomplete, and with little humanity.

The dialogue is severely affected by an overall lack of flow. Every conversation serves a narrative purpose, but there’s no organicness for the most part, both in terms of character motivation and dramatic cadence. Simultaneously, the scenes are hastily structured — their goal is clear from a storytelling perspective, but it doesn’t go beyond that rough outline. As a result, none of them displays enough depth, complexity, or even authenticity. And inevitably, their potency is significantly compromised.

The cast does their best to bring life to a rather barren text. Overall, their chemistry is palpable, and their renditions exude genuineness despite the script’s impediments. Ali Hadji-Heshmati earns the highest praise in the role of Glenn, portraying the character with great nuance and layering — once again, contrasting with the writing’s flatness.

There is more to a great play than just a great idea. Or a good philosophy. Welcome to Pemfort ticks all the checkpoints for a heart-wrenching, thought-provoking premise. Yet, the brilliance of that notion doesn’t pervade the final product, which ultimately exhibits little instinct and dexterity. The company is a definite forte, but not enough to hold the fort.

All pictures credit to Camilla Greenwell.

Welcome To Pemfort plays at London’s Soho Theatre until 18 April. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara