Mnemonic is a gripping consideration of memory and humanity – review
Complicité, the renowned British theatre company led by Simon McBurney, has revived its 1999 play Mnemonic in a reimagined production at the National Theatre.
It’s something of a rollercoaster ride: at two hours straight through (no interval) it relentlessly drives its dual narratives forward, and it’s far from a conventional play, with more of a focus on the sensory experience and creating visually-striking imagery.
It starts with actor Khalid Abdalla directly addressing the audience, talking about his own memories and asking us to partake in a small amount of audience participation, challenging us to remember certain specific moments of our own lives, aided by a few props.
While the audience is distracted we have our first segue: Abdalla becomes Omar, who is watching the show and is mortified that his phone has gone off, but answers it in the hope it will be his partner Alice (Eileen Walsh), who mysteriously disappeared following her mother’s funeral.
