Review: Lost Watches at Park Theatre

⭐⭐ (Two Stars)

Lost Watches at Park Theatre offers an intriguing premise: a young man grappling with grief begins conversing with a statue of Beat poet William S. Burroughs. However, unfortunately, the play struggles to sustain its ambition over the course of its 70-minute runtime.

Written by and starring Lorenzo Allchurch, the play follows Allen, a grief-stricken young man living in the shed of his soon-to-be repossessed childhood home. Isolated and adrift, Allen begins speaking to a statue of Burroughs, voiced by Jason Isaacs. The surrealism that follows is conceptually promising, yet the execution often lacks the vitality needed to keep the audience fully engaged.

Much of the play consists of Allchurch speaking to the motionless statue, which responds only through pre-recorded voiceover. This dynamic robs the scenes of the tension, energy, and spontaneity that live dialogue can bring. Without a present scene partner, these extended monologues feel static and, at times, slightly emotionally flat.

Leah Aspden brings some welcome energy as a concerned police officer, and Gabriella Moran takes on the challenging task of portraying Allen’s mother, father, and brother. However, the multi-roling here feels more like a constraint than a creative choice. Having different actors portray these roles might have given more emotional depth to the play.

The minimal set is compensated for by Ryan Watson’s subtle and evocative projection design. The animated backdrop, especially the shifting sky outside Allen’s window, effectively builds atmosphere. Meanwhile, the overall sound design by Dominic Brennan feels underutilized. Sporadically utilised music and occasional rain effects hint at what could have been a more immersive soundscape, especially given the emotional isolation at the heart of the story.

Director Alex Helfrecht handles the material with a steady hand, but the production struggles to maintain momentum and the lack of live interplay between William S. Burroughs and Allen makes it difficult for the emotional stakes to fully land. Lost Watches is an ambitious and imaginative piece that explores grief through a surreal lens, but unfortunately falters somewhat in its execution.

Lost Watches runs at Park Theatre until 23rd August 2025.

Photos by Mark Senior