“an exciting, moving, hilarious and provocative piece of theatre”
The first thing we hear from Tiffany (Rosie Wyatt) is an extended burp, caused by her opening and downing a can of Diet Coke on stage. It’s a good introduction to this immensely visceral play, in which the playwright, Sarah Kosar, explores the pain that stems from grief and emotional isolation by putting the body centre stage.
The metaphorical is made concrete. It’s a simple, but effective theatrical concept, and is cleverly offset by the striking visual projections behind the action, which serve as a continual reminder of the online world which we all increasingly inhabit.
Photography courtesy of Lidia Crisafulli
Kosar is a playful playwright, both in her willingness to embrace the surreal, and the evident pleasure she takes in the spoken word. There are some wonderful Ortonesque moments – ‘And I just lost my mum. My parent. I’m a half-orphan now’, Tiffany spits at her dad (Andrew Frame) towards the beginning of the show. I also loved the sections of Kate Tempest inspired spoken word in the piece, in which Tiffany tries to make sense of her painful emotional landscape.
Despite the subject matter, the play is also extremely funny, and it’s a testament to both the playwright and the two performers that this reviewer both cried with laughter and was moved to tears within the show’s 75 minute time frame. Andrew Frame’s Hugh was a poignant portrait of a man initially paralysed by the loss of his wife, slowly returning to the world and re-finding his relationship with his daughter.
Witnessing him open up, both physically and vocally, over the course of the play, was a delight. Although I could have done with a little more tonal variation, Rosie Wyatt was convincing too as the neurotic 25 year old Tiffany, weighed down by the loss of her mother, inching towards the light. Tommo Fowler’s able and subtle direction allowed each character to breathe, and the design team (Robbie Butler – lighting; Odinn Orn Hilmarsson – sound; Charlotte Henery – set and costume; Fed – projection) created an arresting visual and aural world.
Mumburger is an exciting, moving, hilarious and provocative piece of theatre. Kosar is clearly a talent to watch.
“An extremely captivating and enormously enjoyable show”
Set in and around the high rise building sites of Dubai, Carmen Nasr’s thought provoking work explores the contrast between the glittering, almost hedonistic lifestyle of those inhabiting the emirate and the stark reality endured by those building it.
The play explores the plight of the underpaid and poorly treated workforce, mainly migrants from India hoping to create a better life for their families back home. Alongside these workers are the ex-pats, living the dream and making huge amounts of cash by selling the luxury lifestyle to others.
Between these two opposite sides comes Clara (Miztli Rose Neville), a feisty young journalist and former close friend of Jamie (Nicholas Banks) one of the marketing team or a ‘Creative Digital PR Specialist’ as he calls himself. Under the guise of being a shopping correspondent covering an exhibition, she seeks to uncover the truth behind the alarming amount of workplace ‘accidents’ and deaths; a path that will lead her to betray her friend and expose herself to danger.
The design of the show (Bex Kemp) is incredibly simple yet remarkably effective. Who’d haev thought a few two feet square perspex boxes could be so adaptable? Subtle lighting (Robbie Butler) and a skillful use of sound (Jack Burton) alongside a few basic props take us effortlessly between scenes, whether we’re atop a skyscraper with the workers or out enjoying the indulgence of a boozy bar scene.
The two featured workers are portrayed well by Adi Chugh (as Amar) and Varun Sharma (as Tanveer), allowing the audience to feel their pain from the loves and lives they’ve left behind. It’s fair to say that the whole cast were believable and put on a deft performance; Nicholas Banks giving a particularly strong and perceptive portrayal of Jamie.
The show itself is very believable. It’s a situation which everyone knows goes on, but it’s more convenient and lucrative to brush it under the carpet.
This is a well researched piece and extremely engaging to watch. A credit to the writer and director (Georgie Staight) and the cast. Definitely in need of a longer run.
