Tag Archives: Jeannie Dickinson

ADAM AND EVE

★★★★

The Hope Theatre

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ADAM AND EVE at The Hope Theatre

★★★★

 

Adam

“The strength of the production most definitely comes from the acting abilities of the three performers”

 

Adam and Eve are a seemingly perfect couple, about to embark on a new life in the countryside and buy their first home together. Their affection for one another is made clear from the outset and we are truly swept away with it at the start of the piece. Eve even asks Adam if he thinks other people get jealous of their relationship. The young couple seem to have it all, but when one of English teacher Adam’s teenage pupils makes startling accusations that threaten the pair’s relationship, they are forced to question how well they really know each other. Is their marriage as perfect as it seems?

Having received rave reviews at Jack Studio Theatre last summer, this transfer, featuring Jeannie Dickinson reprising her role as Eve, and Lee Knight and Melissa Parker taking over the roles of Adam and teenager Nikki, clearly had a lot to live up to. The strength of the production most definitely comes from the acting abilities of the three performers. Dickinson and Knight, in the title roles, do a particularly good job at bouncing off each other and present believable chemistry. Melissa Parker is a convincing teenager and is engaging throughout her time on stage.

Given the fact that the acting is of such high quality, the minimal set is not an issue and there is no need for anything more than the two chairs and various small props used. It’s not hard for us to imagine the couple’s home, the school Adam works in, or the newsagents where Nikki works and some of the action takes place. Scene changes are primarily marked through the lighting, which darkens in an almost eerie way and is very effective. This even happens during the “honeymoon period” at the start of the production, perhaps a sign of darker times to come.

The small space of The Hope Theatre, and the way the seating has been arranged, means that sometimes actors perform with their backs to certain sides of the audience for a time. This is mainly an issue during some of the confrontational scenes, where it would add to the impact if we were able to see the facial expressions and emotions of all actors at all times. However, on a positive note, the intimate studio space means the audience can really feel a part of the action, which perhaps wouldn’t be the case if the performance took place in a larger venue.

Throughout the progression of this short piece, we are taken on the journey of a couple facing a major test to their “idyllic” relationship. Psychologically, Adam & Eve will have you questioning which version of events you believe and, just when you think you have it sussed, a plot twist will be thrown in to change your view. Directed by Jennifer Davis, this production is gripping and full of tension and I highly recommend it.

 

Reviewed by Emily K Neal

Reviewed – 24th May 2018

Photography by Tim Cook

 


Adam & Eve

Hope Theatre until 9th June

 

Related
Previously reviewed at this venue
My Gay Best Friend | ★★★★★ | January 2018
Cream Tea & Incest | ★★★★ | April 2018
Worth a Flutter  | ★★ | May 2018

 

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com

 

 

Eve

Adam & Eve

Jack Studio Theatre

Reviewed – 31st August 2017

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

 

“you are never sure of who is the villain, and that, is absolutely chilling”

 

 

Picture the scene – a young couple with hopes and dreams of their future. The countryside, the house, the family and that white picket fence. Idyllic, don’t you think?

Tim Cook’s excellent work allows the audience to be mesmerised by the journey of the characters. From the opening scene where they reminisce about how they met in their school days, you feel as though you have known them for years. Perhaps they were your friends, that annoying boy at the back of the classroom, the chatty girl sitting at the front. So ultimately, you want them to succeed and build their happy life together. But what happens when something arrives to shatter the illusion?

Adam and Eve thespyinthestalls

Adam (Christopher Adams) an English teacher and Eve (Jeannie Dickinson) have their lives turned upside down when one of Adam’s students Nikki (Anuschka Rapp) makes allegations that he has acted inappropriately.

Eve stands by her husband but is she doing the right thing? We are torn between wanting to believe that Adam would not sacrifice the life he has built for an idiotic fling with a teenager and yet the narrative is telling us otherwise.

Adam and Eve thespyinthestalls

The quality of the acting in this performance means that you are never sure of who is the villain, and that, is absolutely chilling. The set is minimal yet effective, consisting of a small number of crates intending to portray a living room, classroom and the most effective – the supermarket where Adam and Eve will later run into Nikki who is an employee. Quite possibly the most awkward situation imaginable.

The play is a brilliant insight into the complexities of a relationship addled with doubt and accusation. It challenges the trust between our main characters; it asks the question that even though they have been together for a long time, do they really know everything about each other? After all that time, can someone still surprise you? Can they shock you?

 

Reviewed by Stephanie Legg

 

ADAM & EVE

is at The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre until 2nd September

 

 

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