‘Project Colony’ at Trinity Buoy Wharf

Whilst lost en route to Fourth Monkey’s Project Colony, I semi-accidentally followed a couple into a dead-end alleyway. My explanation of ‘I – I’m not following you’ made the rest of the journey fairly awkward. This set the tone for an evening that promised an unsettling experience, one that, concerningly, I’d be braving alone.

Upon arrival at the venue we were met by a ’50s party getting into full swing. It felt like Trinity Buoy Wharf’s very own hidden town of Spectre, with the Colonists sat amongst the guests on our round tables, being disconcertingly friendly. The hostess kept waving from across the room and foisting sweeties onto me, so I smiled, waved back and attempted to quell my growing distrust.

As whispered chatter reached its crescendo, the warehouse doors slid back and in marched a chorus of strictly dressed officers. Half of us were picked out from the crowd and beckoned to silently file out of the venue, which we did unquestioningly. I felt a warm assurance in this cold process, which in turn made me worry that my old school teachers really did mould me into a willing conformist, after all.

We were herded into a dingy room to witness the bluntest and best piece of the evening – the execution ceremony. The uniformed figures ran around with torches, torture methods were discussed in grim detail and a woman was forced to strip at gunpoint. My heart was certainly racing during this section- though latent claustrophobia and a repressed BDSM fetish may have contributed to this.

The execution over, we were escorted back to the party and entertained by the creepy actors around us. We played pick-up sticks and did a little quiz, occasionally being treated to live songs from the giddy young colonists. After a short break and some milling about, the final act began in earnest. The colonists were revealed as being obsessed with mod-cons, leading to social commentary on the modern obsession with technology and the increasingly mangled bureaucratic process. I was a little confused as to what was going on, but at least we weren’t being forced to interact socially anymore, so that was something.

I watched this in physical discomfort, since my back was to the stage and my chair felt far too noisy to move. By the end, there had been more stripping, more expressive dance whilst holding vinyl records and an epilogue that left it pretty unclear whether the show had ended or not, leading to some half-hearted clapping and a mild air of confusion around the place. In fear of being accosted by an overenthusiastic performer, I left abruptly. I wasn’t sure what to make of the whole event, but it did make me appreciate my pillow fort and blankie even more.

Fourth Monkey Theatre Company’s Project Colony ran until Saturday 27 April at:

Trinity Buoy Wharf
64 Orchard Place
Tower Hamlets
E14 0JY

Image: Brendan James Ryan