Iam no stranger to a Healthcare Drama Society production. Having attended all of their shows in the previous year, I recognise and appreciate the breadth of talent and amount of hard work that goes into organising and developing these events – and their most recent show was no exception. If Walls Could Talk is an original musical from the society that explores the depths of the human experience through three different stories.
It deals with issues such as emotional domestic abuse, toxic over controlling parenting as well as substance abuse and subsequent addiction. An incredibly emotional and moving show. You are taken on a “journey of empowerment” as we follow the protagonists who encounter such tragedy and strife, making for an incredibly moving and inspiring performance by all members of the cast.
The music used throughout the show felt fitting and deftly appropriate within the contexts of which they were used, with the show opening on the titular song: Walls Could Talk by Halsey and closing on Turning Tables by Adele. It must be said that they all performed brilliantly, and that the choreography flowed well. I also thought that the way in which the actors interacted with space was very clever, even though it was apparent they were all in different locations, the characters utilised the same set effectively to convey their separate stories.
In reading the programme for the show, I really appreciated the resources and organisations that were included as a guide for getting help (should that be something you need). Now, with regards to the main plot of the show. We are first introduced to Sam (Anwen Crawford), an A-Levels student who is struggling under the immense pressure that his parents— Bernie (William Owens) and Jessie (Katie Worrell)—are placing on her.
Their expectations of ‘success’ (as based on their own academic prowess) do not align with Sam’s future wants and wishes. She dreams of acting, a career that Bernie and Jessie explicitly look down on and attempt to push her away from. The lack of support and constant criticism takes a massive toll on Sam, who, at the end of the play, makes the decision to run away from home, in an incredibly harrowing scene.
I felt really sympathetic for Sam, and I thought that the way the writers chose to wrap up her story was incredibly effective, the audience does not know what becomes of her, but we are made to feel that this is the best decision for her. Overall, I was really impressed by her story and thought that the performances of all involved were really strong; you could physically feel the tension between Sam and her parents, it was palpable. The second story focuses on the friendship between the characters: Alex (Mimi Brown) and Riley (Amelia Jenkins), navigating the impact that Riley’s new relationship—with the manipulative and controlling Mel (Harry Still)—has on them both.
Harry Still was so fantastic in their role as the toxic partner, it was almost scary. If Walls Could Talk did an excellent job in portraying the tactics employed by emotional abusers such as Mel, from controlling behaviours to gaslighting speech. It highlighted how physically and mentally isolating such behaviours can be for the victim and their friends.
Mel pushes Riley away from Alex, who is already struggling with low mental health, in an effort to micromanage her life. It was wonderful to see Riley stand up to Mel in the second act, and subsequently reunite with Alex, who is able to support her in healing from this trauma as she seeks help for her own issues. I think of all the stories featured in this musical, this one has to be my favourite because of how sensitively the matter of abuse is dealt with.
If Walls Could Talk emphasises this idea that you are never alone, no matter how isolated you have been made to feel. It also does the right thing in not romanticising Mel’s behaviour, by highlighting the damage it does to people, it brings a light to an issue that is so often not discussed or taken seriously by other forms of media. Then there is Jack, a newbie solicitor, who struggles and eventually succumbs to their office’s drinking culture as a result of their deep-rooted anxieties and inner turmoil.
This progresses into active drug and alcohol addiction that impacts upon all areas of their life—including their capacity to work and general health. I found it much harder to connect with Jack’s story, I think in part because the topic of substance abuse is not something I am familiar with, but more so because it was not as relatable as the other character’s journeys. I resonated much more with Riley and Sam’s stories, as their experiences were identifiable within my own life.
Moreover, it felt that they were better connected, as the characters were both young and experiencing problems in their interpersonal relationships—whereas Jack was clearly meant to be older (with an office job and all), and was experiencing active addiction, a very different issue altogether. It felt as though there was greater overlap with the former’s stories than the latter’s. That isn’t to say that Jack’s scenes were not good—in fact I was really impressed by how their character progression was acted out.
The audience saw them develop from this anxious young solicitor to becoming slightly more confident (but very inebriated), before their subsequent breakdown. Moreover, the scene in which they asked for help was really impactful and inspiring. It goes to show that despite everything, there is, and always will be, the hope that one day it will get better. (P.S. if you get the chance, I implore you to watch their upcoming shows!)