Words: Alex Grunberg

4 Stars

A fantastic lighting and sound design immerse the audience into a woodland setting where three teenage friends embark on a camping trip. But what was meant to be a playful farewell to childhood turns into an emotional and mental breakdown of paranoia as the girls reckon with the possibility that they are being observed by something stalking them in the dark.

This intimate story is played to excellent effect by the three very strong actresses. Their performances feel very natural, even when the emotions reach their thriller heights. The three characters are instantly distinct and well-defined without ever devolving into horror genre stereotypes. And both the humorous rapport as well as the heated arguments felt organic, as the arcs of the complex relationships were justified through a layered script and honest reactions to the tense environment and unsettling revelations. 

While using a familiar framework, the story felt new and fresh due to the humanity offered to this group of girls in both the script and through the performances. Everything felt rooted in reality – which perhaps made the surreal even more disturbing, more believable, as the plot toed the line between overt horror and metaphorical devastation. It is an intelligent story that does not spoon-feed the audience answers, and while the ending may have been a little abrupt, I appreciate the opportunity to tease out the clues left hiding in the shadows. 

An enthralling, escalating, psychological horror. 

BIRDWATCHING 
theSpace @ Venue 45
13:45
Aug 23-24