Usually I wouldn’t associate quicksand with the wilderness of the UK, but in Jen Silverman’s The Moors, it’s just one of the many perilous pitfalls which are said to lurk outside the safety of the lone manor house. Deftly directed by Bryn Kennedy, Silverman’s The Moors is a haunting tale of love and longing, set in a bleak and unforgiving landscape. With performances by a stellar cast and a script that’ll keep you on your toes, The Moors is an exceptional night out at the theatre.

Sisters Agatha and Huldey live alone on their family estate, with their father’s old parsonage visible from the window. They have a maid (or several, it’s hard to tell), and a large Mastiff which Agatha believes to be a vicious beast despite the fact that he’s recently started caring for a wounded Moor-Hen. When a governess arrives, she expects to find a family with a child to look after, like the other homes she’s worked in. Yet there is no such child, and no man to be seen. Who has brought her to the edge of civilization? Will she stay? And what happens if she does?

The BMO Incubator space has been totally transformed, this time into a proper Victorian parlour complete with rigid yet elegant furniture, an overstuffed umbrella stand, and plenty of silver for the maid to polish. This room becomes every room, from the great hall to the governess’ bedroom, not a single thing about the set changes, merely what the characters call it. What’s more is that Emilie, the governess, openly questions the lack of set changes, only to be gaslit by the other characters into believing it’s a different room.

The Moors feels like Silverman’s love letter to Gothic literature as they use every trope in the book to create this mysterious and electrifying story, while also actively flipping some of those stereotypes around in unexpectedly fun ways. Time clearly means nothing to these characters, and Huldey writes in her diary that every time her mood changes it must be a different day, even though it could all be happening within the same twenty four hours. The new governess coming to a secluded house, that house belonging to some member of a clergy, all of it screams Gothic novels. However, there are some iconic elements, like the crazy-woman-in-the-attic, which get totally turned on their head, making The Moors decidedly more modern while remaining true to its inspiration.

Madeline Ius’ costume design likewise reflected the Victorian setting of the play, with bustles, puffed sleeves, and even the boots to match. All of the characters were perfectly embodied by their clothing, and I particularly enjoyed how the Moor-Hen and Mastiff’s costumes represented their animal counterparts so well. Though there were some more modern elements to the props, with Huldey’s diary and pen, and a see-through umbrella, being clear examples. This mix of modernity and history mirrors the setting and language used throughout Silverman’s text, as the script uses more modern language but with the passions and customs of the setting.

Raquel Duffy helms this incredible cast as Agatha. Duffy brings out a stoic yet mischievous side to Agatha, making her at once enticing and terrifying. Lindsey Middleton’s Huldey is perfectly sweet and daft…until she isn’t. In Middleton’s final moments of the play, dressed like Mrs. Lovett, her athleticism, vocal range, and acting abilities create an unforgettable penultimate scene to the production. Blessing Adedijo plays the bewildered Emilie, and her dynamic with Duffy is electric! Erin Humphry had me belly laughing as the maid(s); her deadpan delivery is perfect for the role and her comedic timing is spot on. Jack Copland is fantastic as the Mastiff; from his physicality to the eloquence with which the Mastiff speaks, Copland does it all so gracefully and with clear passion. Heeyun Park 박희윤 is the final piece to this wild puzzle of a play as the Moor-Hen. Like Copland, her subtle physicality brings a beautiful bird-like quality to the role while also letting her talent shine through.

Though The Moors is really quite funny, there’s also a great deal of tragedy to be found in these characters. Humans are meant to be social, and The Moors reminds us of the dangers of being isolated for too long. It’s the perfect subject matter for a play, as at the theatre we must come together in person to witness the same event, and in so doing we break that isolation and begin to banish the loneliness.

The Moors runs in the BMO Incubator at The Theatre Centre until April 19. For more information and tickets, visit: https://theatrecentre.org/event/the-moors-riot-king/

---

Cover Photo: Raquel Duffy and Blessing Adedijo photographed by Juniper Simpson Serrano.

---

Thank you to my Patrons:
Natalia, Steve, Brendan, Deborah, and Phil

And to my supporters who’ve bought me a coffee:
Angelica and Paul, Anonymous, Adrianna, Caitlin, Jonathan, Jada, and Courtney

Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Or, you can buy me a coffee at: buymeacoffee.com/aviewfromthebox