Pulse

Four friends go off to university. Then, we're introduced to a new car, lots of references to said car, some ominous sentences such as "the thing about a car is... it's freedom", a crash, and then we embark on 40 minutes of everyone coming to terms with death. From the cringeworthy opening music to the final freeze frame, this is a production so replete with cliché it's difficult to comment on anything else.

Flitting from moments before the crash to the grieving that comes after, it's all here. Inexplicable rage towards a best friend who escapes unscathed, save for what appears to be pink nail varnish on his T-shirt? Check. Him pushing them away due to self loathing? Check. A monologue about how he's not just another youth, another statistic? Check. The dead girl resurfacing for flashback sequences fading to a red light when he realises she isn't real? Check.

But enough about cliché, if the performances were strong, the piece may have been lifted above astonishing mediocrity. Unfortunately, after the first scene, they have little left to do but be really sad and really angry. Or rather, splutter, pant heavily and shout at each other all of which, unfortunately, are comically bad.

The "joker" of the pack's attempts at lighthearted joshing early on is almost painfully awkward. The moment he's crying, though, he's actually rather amusing. The girl left alive, however, is a promising performer, but this shining light amid the dark is extinguished due to a truly terrible script.