Eleanor Bull Archives - thespyinthestalls.com

Post-Mortem

The Space

Reviewed – 17th April 2019

★★★★

“Sharazuddin’s writing is sensitive and balanced”

We are all familiar with the potency of obsessive teenage love. But what happens when that love is slowly devoured by circumstance, leaving trauma in its wake? Does time heal everything, or are some wounds irreparable?

Such a story should be impactful, written with purpose and precision. It is best told by engaging actors who can deliver rich, emotionally charged dialogue. A bit of choreography wouldn’t hurt, either.

Iskandar R. Sharazuddin’s Post-Mortem unites all these things to tell the story of Nancy and Alex, a couple whose tender, obsessive love for each other declines in the face of tragedy. The carcass of their relationship rattles with secrets, but it isn’t until ten years later – when they are best man and maid of honour at their friends’ wedding – that they come to light.

Sharazuddin’s writing is sensitive and balanced, a mixture of dialogue and monologues that illuminate aspects of their relationship and character. The image of them meeting in biology class whilst dissecting a pig heart (which Alex can’t touch, apparently, for religious reasons) perfectly sets the tone for their relationship and its eventual disintegration. Metaphors – the pig heart, Nancy’s obsession with hoovering, the wedding sonnet – elevate their caustic, subtly humorous conversations.

Small details provide a deeper insight into the characters’ emotional cores. Alex worries that his peers will make fun of his Asian heritage and homemade biriyani; Nancy comes from ‘a family of liars’, including a Lithuanian grandma who sits outside McDonalds and shouts at people. This hints at their respective insecurity and secretiveness, however these threads feel somewhat loose in the tightly woven tapestry of the whole. I would have loved to have seen these instances revisited in later scenes, both for the sake of nostalgia and to assert the importance of these formative feelings in determining the course of their lives.

Nevertheless, this is compensated for by the evocative movement sequences, which enhance and bridge the gaps between the fragmented scenes. Performed across the length of a white stage, they are beautifully illuminated by subtle lighting (set/costume design by Eleanor Bull and light/sound by Will Alder). It casts their shadows across the high walls of The Space, making the movement all the more haunting and beautiful.

Sharazuddin also performs in the piece, alongside Essie Barrow as Nancy. The pair have strong chemistry, which is clearly expressed in the movement sequences as well as in the dialogue. They engage with each other and the audience; their frequent eye contact makes it seem as though they are talking to us directly. Sharazuddin’s Alex is sensitive, yet reckless, whilst Barrow’s Nancy is strong and decisive. Their character development is subtle and believable and leads to a satisfying conclusion.

The one disappointment with this performance is that it was not well-attended. It seems a shame that such a well-constructed show should go unnoticed, especially given the thought-provoking nature of its content. Once seen, this sensitive and profound show leaves an impression that is hard to shake off.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography courtesy Ellandar Theatre Company

Post-Mortem

The Space until 20th April

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

The Full Bronte | ★★★ | October 2018

Woman of the Year | ★★★ | October 2018

Little Women | ★★★½ | December 2018

The Dip | ★★★★ | February 2019

The South Afreakins | ★★★★★ | February 2019

FFS! Feminist Fable Series | ★★★★ | March 2019

The Conductor | ★★★★ | March 2019

We Know Now Snowmen Exist | ★★★ | March 2019

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★★

“Good design and convincing acting ultimately save this messy, drawn-out and static production”

‘Stop and Search’ is Gabriel Gbadamosi’s “play as a Londoner” and, like London, is a sprawling, confusing urban adventure brimming with big ideas. A strong opening scene sets up some intriguing characters with questionable histories, but it’s a downhill slog from there.

Built around three tediously long conversations, the play professes to explore personal distrust and the blurring of lines between friendly chat and interrogation. Tel (Shaun Mason) picks up hitchhiking Akim (Munashe Chirisa) on his way smuggling illegal furs across the Channel. Meanwhile good cop/bad cop team Tone (David Kirkbride) and Lee (Tyler Luke Cunningham) pass the time working on a surveillance job closely linked to Tel’s girlfriend Bev (Jessye Romeo) and his own illegal activity. The final scene sees Akim as a cab driver, picking up Bev who has started to question how much her life is worth living.

The constellation of characters and situation should lead to fireworks, but instead burns out to empty exposition. Gbadamosi’s script fails in creating action and plot within the temporal and spatial confines of the play. Those long, winding conversations, although littered with some pretty turns of phrase, are not interesting enough in their own right to hold our attention. In fact, by reaching towards style over substance, the dialogue becomes quite opaque at times, leaving audience members asking on their way out: “Did you get what that was about?”

Mehmet Ergen’s direction does not help matters. Two out of three scenes take place in a car and remain static and restricted because of it. There is no sense of place or atmosphere in the one outdoor scene. As with the script, the direction lacks action and hides behind the words. The scenic design is reminiscent of a grimy underground car park, and Daniel Balfour’s sound builds a suitable feeling of dread in the climax of the piece. The actors work hard to create complex and convincing characters and give the script a much-needed energy. Chirisa and Mason remain the most interesting and evenly matched partnership.

‘Stop and Search’ does to London what ‘True Detective’ did to L.A. There is a whole world hidden behind this script that wants exploring, but this is sadly not the play to do it. Good design and convincing acting ultimately save this messy, drawn-out and static production.

Reviewed by Joseph Prestwich

Photography by Idil Sukan

The Space

Reviewed – 17th April 2019

★★★★

“Sharazuddin’s writing is sensitive and balanced”

We are all familiar with the potency of obsessive teenage love. But what happens when that love is slowly devoured by circumstance, leaving trauma in its wake? Does time heal everything, or are some wounds irreparable?

Such a story should be impactful, written with purpose and precision. It is best told by engaging actors who can deliver rich, emotionally charged dialogue. A bit of choreography wouldn’t hurt, either.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography courtesy Ellandar Theatre Company

Post-Mortem

The Space until 20th April

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed – 14th January 2019

★★

“Good design and convincing acting ultimately save this messy, drawn-out and static production”

‘Stop and Search’ is Gabriel Gbadamosi’s “play as a Londoner” and, like London, is a sprawling, confusing urban adventure brimming with big ideas. A strong opening scene sets up some intriguing characters with questionable histories, but it’s a downhill slog from there.

‘Stop and Search’ does to London what ‘True Detective’ did to L.A. There is a whole world hidden behind this script that wants exploring, but this is sadly not the play to do it. Good design and convincing acting ultimately save this messy, drawn-out and static production.

Reviewed by Joseph Prestwich

Photography by Idil Sukan

Stop and Search

Arcola Theatre until 9th February

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue: