Tag Archives: Trafalgar Studios

Again – 3 Stars

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Again

Again

Trafalgar Studios

Reviewed – 9th February 2018

★★★

“The myriad viewpoints serve to confuse rather than add mystery”

 

The ‘family’ has always been ripe pickings for drama, traversing all genres from horror, mystery, animation to comedy. In fact it is almost impossible to avoid nowadays with the multitude of repeats of family oriented sitcoms on our television screens.

Actress turned writer Stephanie Jacob has taken this tried and tested formula with the intention of shaking it up by restructuring its narrative flow. Without giving much away, each scene is presented to us more than once (hence the title of the piece). It is a bit like watching an old VHS and continually hitting the rewind button, but the repeat viewing is not as you remember it.

It is a very clever device, but it doesn’t take long for it to lose its novelty value and we are left with a jumble of allegiances. Not one of the characters is quite strong enough to win our empathy and bring us onto their side, so we never really know whose story is the truth; whose memories are the real ones.

A close-knit family of four are reuniting for lunch. It is hinted at that there has been conflict and estrangement in the back-story. The only one who still lives in the family home is matriarch Louise, committedly portrayed by the ever-wonderful Natasha Little, although there are flashes of discomfort in her performance. She has invited her ex-husband, Tom, and their two children to lunch.

The star of the show is Rosie Day who plays the unreserved teenage daughter, Izzy, who bubbles with an infectious, manic energy. Izzy’s candid giddiness is the perfect foil to her inward-looking brother, Adam, played by Charles Reston with a brittleness that constantly threatens to shatter with scarring results. They are both highly strung and Day and Reston do convey well that modern dichotomy of how much ‘the parents are to blame’, particularly the father figure: Chris Larkin captures the right mix of culpability and blamelessness as Tom, veering between deserter and victim depending on which scene we’re in.

Hannah Price’s direction keeps the pace moving and we are kept on our toes throughout. It is fascinating to witness the scenarios replayed slightly differently, each time shedding a new light on the situation.

But, all in all, too many sympathies are tugging at our hearts, and too many layers of the past and present are pasted onto the narrative, for us to really care about the characters, let alone who we should be rooting for. The myriad viewpoints serve to confuse rather than add mystery, and the line between genuine causticity and comedy is often unclear. A shame as this does cloud what is undoubtedly a skilled piece of writing.

 

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Zute Lightfoot

 


Again

Trafalgar Studios until 3rd March

 

 

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Strangers in Between – 4 Stars

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Between

Strangers in Between

Trafalgar Studios

Reviewed – 12th January 2018

★★★★

“a tender and humbling depiction of a gay community as a family unit”

 

Sun, sand, Neighbours, barbies, surfing, The Ashes and cans of Fosters are probably some of the first things that come to mind when us Brits think about Down Under. However, Tommy Murphy’s play Strangers In Between is far removed from the fun-loving, care free personas of our Aussie compadres. Although most of the first half is spent in fits of laughter, it is a bittersweet tale about trying to shake off troubled pasts and becoming comfortable with who you are. Having had two successful runs at The King’s Head Theatre, Strangers In Between makes its tremendous West End transfer to the Trafalgar Studios.

Teenage runaway Shane tries to make his way in the seedy yet vibrant Sydney district of Kings Cross, fleeing from his family and country bumpkin upbringing. What initially comes across as a lad filled with provincial naivety, whose cluelessness with adulting reaches another level, soon becomes clear that something more serious lies beneath. Haunted by his distressing past that has left deep scars, Shane stumbles through his new, lonely, big city life, whilst also trying to come to terms with his sexuality. Fortunately, the men that Shane encounters offer comfort and compassionate support, taking him under their wing as they guide him, often comically, and most certainly patiently, through his personal dramas.

Roly Botha plays the fragile Shane with incredible vulnerability, proving to be an acting talent to look out for in the future. Stephen Connery-Brown gives a solid performance as the witty and warm-hearted older man that Shane befriends, whilst Dan Hunter flexes his versatility at being able to multi role the polarising characters of Shane’s lover and older brother.

This three-hander play, presents a tender and humbling depiction of a gay community as a family unit, steering clear of any flamboyant stereotypes. With Murphy’s naturalistic dialogue it microscopically zooms into the minute details of the human condition. However, a lot of the time this seems to be diluted with a rather idealistic, rosy outlook, where good-natured strangers regularly offer acts of kindness. How easily this would truly occur in a major city is dubious. But, cynicism placed firmly to one side, Strangers In Between offers an affectionate drama that has some cracking one-liners and awkward first-time moments that many of us can relate to.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

Photography by Scott Rylander

 

Trafalgar Studios

Strangers in Between

Trafalgar Studios until 3rd February

 

 

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