‘Don’t Panic’ is a two-hander play set in the potentially very near apocalyptic future, during the clean-up of a fictitious play. It follows two diametrically opposed stagehands, Mani and Kid, played by Taylor Carmen and Gabrielle-Norma Griffin respectively, who must deal with the classic get-out duties of backstage personnel against the backdrop of the incoming end of the world. One of my favourite theatre-related stories to share is the time I auditioned for a local theatre school’s production of the Broadway phenomenon ‘Be More Chill’. After singing, dancing, and acting my heart out for the director, I was given the role of stage manager—meaning that the audience would not have to endure me being on stage at all. This unique casting opportunity allowed me to truly explore the wide array of skills and responsibilities a proficient stage manager needs to juggle, including ensuring all props are in the right place and returned after every show (which is a lot harder than expected), cast-calling, and setting up the staging. This often led to leaving the theatre with a wide array of unusual tools such as tape measures, scissors, plasters, and radios. This is why I personally found the portrayal of these two stagehands so interesting, as I could easily relate to the continuous stress both characters maintain while organising a show—though I have been lucky enough to never carry out these duties as the world is coming to its untimely demise. What is particularly interesting about this production is that the team behind it has clearly thought about purposeful world-building, as the audience is instantly transported into the closing moments of the fictitious play-within-a-play as they enter the theatre. As we entered, we were immediately immersed in a conversation between the two stagehands, with Mani shouting a series of instructions from the rafters and Kid welcoming people to their seats. This helped to instantly establish not only the personalities of both characters but also the dynamic they share in the early moments of the show. What really strengthens this concept is that ‘Don’t Panic’ is set inside a theatre, while the audience is also inside a theatre themselves. On top of this, the props and staging reflect genuine items you would find during a get-out, such as broken props, leftover programmes, and general rubbish scattered around the venue.
One of the highlights of this production occurs during a brilliant sequence in which Mani leads her subordinate through an almost guided meditation, reflecting on what the world was like before the apocalyptic events began. This culminates in Mani pulling out two plastic sheets from a grandfather clock situated at the back of the stage and leading an interpretive-style dance filled with pure joy. This moment injects a small amount of relief into the otherwise intense undertones of the show, which is incredibly welcome. Beyond the obvious hierarchical contrast between a stage manager and her assistant, the two characters are initially drastically different, yet they clearly share a fantastic relationship both on and off stage, bouncing off each other perfectly. Taylor Carmen (who also wrote this entire production) as Mani possesses a commanding and controlled aura that fits the stage manager role perfectly, whereas Gabrielle-Norma Griffin as Kid is far more in touch with her emotions—tensely anxious and curious. This contrast allows the audience to see a broader spectrum of responses to the end of the world, while also enabling each character to learn from the other. I personally found Mani’s character development particularly compelling. She begins the show incredibly stoic and mysterious, but as it progresses, we peel back the layers of her persona, which helps explain how she came to be this way. The sharing of these emotional moments is powerful and raw, allowing the audience to clearly follow her journey. The closing moments of the show see Kid finally achieve her dream of being on stage as part of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ (yet another play within a play within a play). However, this moment is tragically cut short due to the impending end of the world, eliciting immense sympathy from the audience—further amplified by Kid’s innocent presentation earlier in the show.
Overall, ‘Don’t Panic’ is an intensely dark yet thought-provoking two-hander that highlights the relationship between two very different people and the similarities they ultimately share. I found Mani’s character development particularly powerful, while the contrasting, initially optimistic Kid serves as the perfect emotional counterbalance to what many consider the stereotypical presentation of a stage manager. I would rate this production 4 out of 5 stars.
Rhysreviews 