Holy hell, quite the debut.
Written by Bianca Watkins, Bloodline Productions’ debut show Holy Hell combines horror and comedy in a religious setting. Playing at the Old Fitz, director Dakotah Love crafts an engaging experience, using Gen Z humour, witty characters, and occasional impromptu interactions to reel the audience in.
Catholic college students Cat (Stephanie Somerville) and Mish (Courtney Ally Miller), who share a volatile relationship united by their mutual friend Daisy, discover that Daisy’s drink from a party the night before was spiked. A concerned Cat suspects the cheery Max (Owen Hasluck), who also has a thing for her, is responsible. Meanwhile, Mish is more concerned with taking over Daisy’s role in the Catholic college’s quiet chapel and moving into her dorm room. Gradually, Mish and Cat attempt to bond by planning the ‘trip’ of a lifetime in the secluded chapel, away from the eye of Father Terry (Riley Thomas). As reality becomes distorted and trust erodes, they find their sanity slipping further out of reach.
The cast deliver strong performances for the most part, effectively landing their well-timed double entendres and jokes. There were however a few line blunders and minor slip-ups. Hasluck as Max was a standout, channeling fear, disorientation and overconfidence to great comic effect. An impromptu audience interaction only heightened the laughter, which seamlessly fed into Hasluck’s panicked outbursts. As Father Terry, Thomas’ breaking of the fourth wall when delivering words of faith and wisdom created a strong sense of immersion.
The lighting design (Izzy Morrissey) was clever, with intense and repetitive movements evoking the atmosphere of a Berlin club. This emphasised moments when the characters were under the influence or experienced episodes of fear or disorientation. However, the intensity of the lighting was overwhelming at times, particularly during the opening scene where its combination with synchronised dance movements felt awkward.
The costume design (Rachael Palazzi) also stood out. Cat’s modest and neutral toned clothing echoed her reserved nature, Mish’s black and neon sportswear embodied her bright and bold attitude, Max’s denim jacket and skinny jeans reinforced his golden boy demeanour, and Father Terry’s cassock gave him a distinct and authoritative presence.
The play’s ambiguous ending felt fitting, leaving the audience to wonder whether everyone was complicit. The decision to not show Daisy’s character felt effective, shifting the focus away from the whodunnit narrative and towards the characters’ distinct attitudes, values, and relationships with religion.
Ultimately, while there were a few hiccups, Holy Hell infuses the perfect amount of humour into the performance, leaving a lasting impression as Bloodline Productions’ debut production.
