Each year, during their August event, Arrow Video FrightFest carves time out of its schedule to feature a handful of films from first-time filmmakers. Typically the strand of programming takes over the discovery screens for the entirety of Saturday. Each year there’s always a gem or two to be found; last year’s line-up was particularly strong with both Death of a Vlogger and A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life being especially good. Things at FrightFest are working slightly differently this year, with the whole festival moving online, but amongst their tight twenty-five film line-up, they’ve still found space to feature two First Blood films, with the rest to follow at the main (hopefully in-person) event in October. The first of these to screen is Playhouse.
Directed by Toby and Fionn Watts, Playhouse is set in a remote Scottish castle that holds a dark history. Playwright, Jack Travis (William Holstead), and his daughter, Bee (Grace Courtney), have recently moved into the castle so that Jack can work on his next project. Bee isn’t thrilled about the move and is having a hard time connecting with the other girls at school. Things then take a turn for the worse after a game of Truth or Dare ends in Bee accidentally freeing an ancient evil from within the castle walls. As the curse targets its next victims, Jack must work to save his daughter, finish his play, and stave off their neighbour, Jenny (Helen Mackay), whose family has a long-held grudge against the castle.
As Playhouse is a first-time feature from a low-budget indie production, the film is marred by some issues. It’s to be expected given the restrictions and restraints that its makers must have had to work within, but it doesn’t help the creation of a cohesive film. The biggest niggle for me personally, is the fact that Jack and Bee look a little too close in age for them to believably pass as father and daughter. Both are reasonable as actors, it’s just that when they are standing side-by-side and interacting, it becomes clear that the pair in real-life are probably less than ten years apart. Although written as father and daughter, the better tactic on-screen might have been to switch them to brother and sister, with Jack as defacto dad after their parent’s death etc. As Bee, Courtney also seems a little too grown-up to be in ‘school’. It’s never 100% specified what year of school (college, uni etc.) she’s in, but when coupled with her feelings towards it and her struggle to fit in with the other kids, one can only assume that it’s secondary school. Cinema and TV has given us plenty of actors that are considerably older than the adolescent teens they play, but usually they’re masked by a load of cast of a similar age.
On the positive, the locations are what makes Playhouse. The film was shot in an actual castle, and by doing so, Toby and Fionn generate an aura of authenticity. The exterior shots work to help generate mood and atmosphere, whilst at the same time show off some wonderful Scottish scenery. It’s always great when you luck-out with a building with so much character that it takes on a life of its own in the film, and with Playhouse, they have been very blessed.
From a story perspective, there’s a nugget of a good idea buried within, but it struggles to be fully conveyed. Whether that’s a direct result of the limited resources available to realise it is unclear. What we get, is a slightly confusing story that appears unsure of itself. There are most definite nods to films such as The Shining; a writer escapes to nowhere to work on their latest project, and goes off the walls. But Playhouse tries to be a lot more ambiguous, playing around with what is real. Are these events actually happening, or are they all an elaborate part of Jack’s work? Rather than try to pick a side, the film instead opts to play out everything and hope for the best. The result is a film that is consistently confusing.
A valiant effort from all involved, but sadly Playhouse doesn’t quite muster up the same excitement as other recent First Blood movies.
Playhouse was reviewed at Arrow Video FrightFest 2020.
Playhouse
Summary
An atmospheric and authentic location can’t save Playhouse from getting bogged down by a confusing plot. It’s a commendable first-time effort, but one that struggles when placed next to previous First Blood alumni.
