Play review: Traps (1978) by Caryl Churchill.

Hello blog readers. I hope November is treating you well...Welcome back another Caryl Churchill play review. This time I give to you my unfiltered thoughts on her 1978 play Traps. For this play we find ourselves surrounded with characters including Syl who dreams of life away from her home and the baby she attends to. But later on, she decides she wants a baby soon or she just won't. Then there is Syl's partner Jack of whom Syl seems happy with. We have Jack's sister Christine, of which the pair seem a bit too close for siblings. Christine's partner, Reg does not seem to treat her nice, which Jack does not seem too bothered by. I wander why if Reg hurts Christine, why he is not chucked out of the house. The house is lived in by Albert, Syl, Jack and Jack's "friend" Del. I do question their friendship.

Speaking of Albert...  This is who Syl speaks to at the start of the play with the baby. In between the two acts, he "dies" it would seem however, I struggle to understand what happened. One thing I know for sure is that the characters are "trapped" to this house. The various constraints of love, abuse and societal expectation keep them there. Can smooth talker Reg keep his relationship with Christine? Do Christine and jack ever want something to happen between them? Is Albert dead? What will happen for Syl regarding motherhood and having a baby?

This play questions audiences on what they know and what they can expect. If you read this, be prepared to question yourself... This was a fascinating read that got me to not assume anything given to me at first. I became prepared to expect the unexpected not just in Caryl Churchill's play. Not much gets me doing that when I am reading. Matthew Gregory Lewis' The Monk (1796) did I suppose...

Still, here we have a play that challenges and questions, allowing audiences and readers to enjoy every day life that has been twisted. I liked the play a lot, I am giving Traps an 8/10.


Until next time,


Thomas.

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