It's time for my review of The Invisible Hand.
"American banker Nick Bright knows that his freedom comes at a price. Confined to a cell in rural Pakistan, every second counts. Who will decide his fate? His captors, or the whims of the market?"
The Invisible Hand is an exciting and action-packed play, and one which had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The show takes place in one room with only a small group of actors, and yet it really feels as if you are watching a blockbuster thriller. The play retains its fast pace throughout, which really adds to the exhilaration. The Invisible Hand demonstrates that you don't always need continuous action to create excitement; sometimes this can be created through words alone. Ayad Akhtar, the playwright responsible for The Invisible Hand, is a very gifted writer and had a particular skill for dialogue. The conversations that take place throughout the course of the play are really engrossing, making it easy to fully immerse yourself in the world of the characters. Beyond that, there is some really interesting political commentary to be found within the play on a wide range of issues. The show tackles a number of relevant topics, including capitalism, religion, racism and foreign relations. There are some intriguing concepts discussed at length, and the writing certainly provides the audience with food for thought. In particular, it was fascinating to see the exploration of greed for money, and the way in which this can poison all of mankind regardless of culture or religion.
The Invisible Hand has a small cast of four performers, though they are all remarkable. Their performances all felt so realistic, and there wasn't a weak link amongst them. In the role of American banker and hostage Nick Bridge was Daniel Lapaine, who was extraordinary. He did an excellent job at conveying the character's fear and vulnerability, and the portrayal felt very life-like to how an actual hostage might behave under the circumstances. In addition to this, he portrayed the character's descent into madness very well in the play's final few scenes. Nick Bridge's captor, Bashir, is masterfully portrayed by Scott Karim, who is equally as outstanding. Karim was very good at depicting the hot-headed nature of the character, and skilfully illustrated the fluctuating emotions that Bashir endures throughout the play. A special mention must also be awarded to Tony Jayawardena as Imam Saleem, the leader of the terrorist organisation. Jayawardena was very clever in the way he chose to present the character; Imam was often the calmest man in the room, which in turn made him the most sinister and the biggest threat of them all. It was clear that it was he who wielded the power throughout the majority of the play, though it was also interesting to see how the characterisation changed when the balance of power shifted away from Imam. Last, but by no means least, Sid Sagar was exceptional in the role of Dar. He illustrated the character's helplessness and innocence very effectively at the start, and it was riveting to see how Dar developed as the play went on.
Now for my final verdict on The Invisible Hand. I give The Invisible Hand...
The Invisible Hand is quite possibly the best play I have seen in over a year; it is well and truly spellbinding. It's an exhilarating production with an incredible cast, and it would be one of my top recommendations.
Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.
Thanks for reading!
-The Basic Theatre Reviewer
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