SUN BEAR at Park Theatre
★★★
“a brave and personal play, with a handful of electric moments”
There are some flashes of excellence in this sharp one-woman dark comedy, but it’s not enough to sustain the energy throughout.
Katy with a ‘y’ not an ‘ie’ (her ex asked what self respecting adult has a ‘y’ name) is having a very bad day at the office. She’s going through a break up and her co-workers’ attempts to help are infuriating. She can’t reign in her acerbic tongue. Through flashbacks we learn more about the relationship and why Katy is having such a difficult time moving on.
Created and performed by Sarah Richardson the play balances some strong laughs with moving moments. The unravelling of the truth is well told and carefully, cleverly structured. However the premise is not quite enough to sustain momentum for the full length of the performance. It lags, and begins to feel a little repetitive.
Richardson’s performance is powerful and varied. She plays a range of caricatures through what often feel like comedy sketches of Katy’s life. But the character of Katy herself remains elusive. Little context is given for Katy, we never even learn what her job is, and she feels thinly sketched. There are some searing moments with the ex, which feel very real, but overall she remains a mystery.
Richardson states that where the play ends, Katy’s story really begins, which is a commentary on moving through trauma, but does affect the shape and drive of the drama.
The script teeters between prose and spoken word, sometimes effectively and sometimes a little clunkily. There is a repeated motif, presented as a chorus, of Katy’s grounding phrases, but when used it seems to stall the action and deaden the momentum. The strongest moments are Katy’s catty cruelty but the later compassion never quite pays off, making it feel somewhat mean spirited.
With a simple set of office chair and desk, and smartly choreographed lighting shifts to separate scenes (and timelines) the focus remains on Richardson as the performer.
It’s a brave and personal play, with a handful of electric moments.
SUN BEAR at Park Theatre
Reviewed on 4th April 2024
by Auriol Reddaway
Photography by Jacob Cox
Previously reviewed at this venue:
HIDE AND SEEK | ★★★★ | March 2024
COWBOYS AND LESBIANS | ★★★★ | February 2024
HIR | ★★★★ | February 2024
LEAVES OF GLASS | ★★★★ | January 2024
KIM’S CONVENIENCE | ★★★★ | January 2024
21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS | ★★★★ | December 2023
THE TIME MACHINE – A COMEDY | ★★★★ | December 2023
IKARIA | ★★★★ | November 2023
PASSING | ★★★½ | November 2023
THE INTERVIEW | ★★★ | November 2023
IT’S HEADED STRAIGHT TOWARDS US | ★★★★★ | September 2023
SORRY WE DIDN’T DIE AT SEA | ★★½ | September 2023
SUN BEAR
SUN BEAR
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