Minority Report is a plodding bit of sci-fi based on a Steven Spielberg movie made more than two decades ago. The setting is London, 2050, and every citizen has been implanted with an undetectably tiny neuroscanner which informs the cops about crimes before they’ve been committed. However, as the first scene reveals, the undetectably tiny neuroscanner can be removed from the flesh with a corkscrew. The character who gouges out her tag is a computer geek, Julia, who invented the surveillance method in the first place. She stands accused of planning a murder and she goes on the run to clear her name.
The actors appear to be trapped inside a tangerine lunchbox
Sound familiar? Yes, it’s the trusty old yarn about a truth-telling rebel who quits the force to expose the corruption at its heart. This creaky structure is padded out with car chases, punch-ups, rooftop escapades and the inevitable break-in at police headquarters that reveals the names of the true culprits. Who on earth decided it would be interesting to put this superficial pap on stage?
The lighting effects are fabulous, easily the show’s best asset, but very few members of the audience will appreciate this extraordinary technical achievement. Great action-movie visuals are aimed at younger males who rarely buy theatre tickets – while the true fans of drama don’t want optical wizardry but powerful narratives and compelling characters. And here the show doesn’t deliver.
The story about a detective who investigates their own offence is as old as Oedipus. The relationships between Julia and her various allies and foes are badly focused because there are too many minor roles.
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