Tag Archives: George Fletcher

THE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE IS COMING

★★★★

Jermyn Street Theatre

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THE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE IS COMING at Jermyn Street Theatre

★★★★

“a packed, intense, and thought-provoking eighty minutes which will leave you shocked and concerned in equal measure”

Jermyn Street Theatre and DONOTALIGHT present this co-production of a new play by Gen Z writer Flora Wilson Brown.

On a near bare stage, three scenes are acted out in rotation – cyclical duologues but miniature plays in their own right: Eunice (Sabrina Wu) is a nineteenth century New York scientist struggling to break through the glass ceiling. Husband John provides moral support but betrays his own inherent prejudices. As Eunice works tirelessly to make her voice heard, neglecting her home and her children, she is afflicted with a disturbing recurring dream, as horrifying as it is inexplicable. Scene two is set slightly in the future. Claire (Martha Watson Allpress) and Dan are environmental lobbyists taking their first steps into romance until climate-change tragedy strikes. And the third scenario, set a generation into the future, is a post-apocalyptic world in which biological researchers Ana (Pepter Lunkuse) and Malcolm are trapped by unprecedented rainstorms in the wilds of Svardbard. An inspired touch is that the man in each scene is played by the same versatile actor (George Fletcher). Conversations segue between the three zones as he morphs from one character to the next, a subtle change in vocal tone and accent signifying the change.

The four actors remain on stage primarily the whole time. There is little movement – some occasional eerie slow pacing – but in the tiny confines of this space that is all to the good (Harry Tennison director). Flora Wilson Brown attempts a realistic depiction of conversation – sentences aren’t finished, couples speak over each other – which is most successful in the scene closest to our own time. The whole ensemble is first rate, quickly paced, and the succinct writing keeps us on our toes as we listen out for well-placed clues as to backstory and goings-on elsewhere.

There is a poignancy in the final scenes as the loan male leaves the action to allow the final words to be heard solely from the voices of the women. Eunice and Claire unite in their descriptions of the desecration caused by climate change whilst Ana projects the hope for the future through her unborn child and the literal green shoots in the seeds she has nurtured.

Despite the play’s optimistic title and its many moments of humour this is not a cheery piece. It’s a packed, intense, and thought-provoking eighty minutes which will leave you shocked and concerned in equal measure.


THE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE IS COMING at Jermyn Street Theatre

Reviewed on 31st January 2024

by Phillip Money

Photography by Jack Sain

 


 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

OWNERS | ★★★½ | October 2023
INFAMOUS | ★★★★ | September 2023
SPIRAL | ★★ | August 2023
FARM HALL | ★★★★ | March 2023
LOVE ALL | ★★★★ | September 2022
CANCELLING SOCRATES | ★★★★ | June 2022
ORLANDO | ★★★★ | May 2022
FOOTFALLS AND ROCKABY | ★★★★★ | November 2021

THE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE IS COMING

THE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE IS COMING

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Hen

Hen

★★★

Hope Theatre

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Hen

Hope Theatre

Reviewed – 9th June 2022

★★★

 

“a dark, longing, and purposeful play“

 

Hen is the debut play written by Josh Husselbee and directed by Sarah Fox. It tells the story of Alister (George Fletcher) and Andrew (Oliver Lyndon) who are privileged friends sharing a flat in east London.

Following his recovery from a recent overdose, and the death of his mother, Alister is bequeathed a hen through his mother’s will, and must persuade his flatmate to help keep her alive in order to inherit the family money.

Alister had strained relationships with both his parents, and his attempts to become a better person for his mother’s posthumous forgiveness put him in a situation we could only imagine of having to deal with. The line from his mother’s voicemail to him of “some people are just born rotten” hits a nerve and sets the tone for how we see Alister. He is not failing, he is struggling.

Flatmate Andrew does not need a job, focussing instead on various girls and spending money to keep him occupied. It’s clear he wants to be in control of situations, to the point of being manipulative at times. This homosocial relationship between Alister and Andrew is fractious – whilst moments are bonding and raw, the anger and lack of understanding of each other’s circumstances is obvious. They are both extremely lost, trying to find a purpose.

The comedic delivery of the play uses the hen to represent the chaotic reality of life, the messy situations and the anger at what we are dealt; mix that with how to look after a hen, and a lot of eggs and excrement in a two bedroomed flat, and you are provided with a strong blend to a dark narrative.

Both George Fletcher and Oliver Lyndon provide raw, gut-wrenching performances in the play, having a great chemistry to hit the anger and grief, to then play off each other when the chaos of looking after a chicken ensues.

The tiny playing space at The Hope easily becomes the boys’ flat, a few chairs here and there and a circular yellow rug on the white floor (no coincidence this looks rather egg-like). Clever lighting in such a small venue is a joy and the sound too is spot on. Design of all these elements comes from Sarah Fox and Josh Husselbee.

The ending for me leaves more questions than we started with, and I couldn’t quite grasp the final concept. I feel it’s a representation of what is real, and what we wish to be real, but I do wonder what the original interpretation was meant to be.

Hen hits you in the gut then gives you the punch line moments later. It is a dark, longing, and purposeful play, and every individual can draw their own conclusions from its personal message.

 

Reviewed by Kay Borkett

Photography by Max Curtis

 


Hen

Hope Theatre until 15th June

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
100 Paintings | ★★ | May 2022
Fever Pitch | ★★★★ | September 2021

 

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