Tag Archives: Vault Festival 2018

An Act of Kindness

Reviews, , , ,

Kindness

An Act of Kindness

The Vaults

Reviewed – 7th February 2018

★★★★

“a wholesome, honest and heart-felt depiction of the lives of London’s population of twenty-somethings”

 

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that when you take a ride on any mode of public transport in London you must avoid human interaction at all costs. You don’t make eye contact, and god forbid you find the bottom of your jacket swooping into another’s designated personal space, only to be followed by a chorus of tutting and sighing from those around you.

TfL spaces, whether you’re being squished on a packed rush hour Victoria Line train or stuck on a South West train in between stations waiting for an announcement for some inkling of information, are often filled with channelled frustration. These are the spaces where micro-aggressions overtake the notion of basic human interaction and communication. In a city of millions of individuals, 5 million of which take the tube on a daily basis, all with their own stories and experiences shaping their current being, it seems like a waste to actively ignore the rest of your city “community.”

Rascal Theatre’s debut play, An Act of Kindness, tackles a concept that every Londoner can relate to. Why does public transport in London turn us into anti-social robots, actively avoiding the slightest of interactions? Is there something we can learn by those with whom we share our daily, gruelling commute? Rascal aim to “keep the audience’s experience at the centre of the creative process [and to] make worlds that are recognisable and reflective of the society around us.” This is evidently clear in the play which is written by, and stars one of the company’s co-creators, Helena Westerman.

It’s wildly refreshing to see a play not desperately trying to tackle enormously complicated global themes in the space of an hour, but rather focusing on something relatable and closer to home. The whole play is set at the same bus stop and acts as a reminder of the simplicity of the piece, which is most definitely part of its beauty. It is a simple story of two people who begin to shed their preconceptions of the ‘other’ figures in their lives that differentiate from those they usually associate with.

An Act of Kindness is a wholesome, honest and heart-felt depiction of the lives of London’s population of twenty-somethings as they struggle to find their place amongst the millions with whom they share this city. It acts as a reminder for us to be present in what may seem the less-important moments in your day, to be open and be interested in those around you as you never know who or what you might come across …

 

Reviewed by Claire Minnitt

Photography by Courtney Chapman

 


An Act of Kindness

Vaults Theatre until 11th February

 

 

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

 

Be Prepared – 4 Stars

Reviews, , , , , , ,

Prepared

Be Prepared

The Vaults

Reviewed – 7th February 2018

★★★★

“a movingly cathartic piece of theatre”

 

Darkly entertaining, ‘Be Prepared’ is a compassionate, stirring one-man performance by Ian Bonar as Tom, caught up in a chaos of mixed emotions as he randomly becomes involved in the life and death of a complete stranger, Mr Chambers. More than simply an observation of the entropic nature of life, it is a heart-rending comment on the profound effect a chance event can have. Inspired by the death of his father and amalgamating personal recollections, his grandfather’s treasured memoires and his imagination, Ian and fellow collaborator, Rob Watt, create a character who skips restlessly between remembering and forgetting. From an entanglement of someone he only knows through incoherent phone conversations, he takes us on the journey of his own grief. It is a sincere description of bewilderment as he is confronted by his many conflicting feelings, from the shock of loss to the banality of choosing a coffin. The result is a movingly cathartic piece of theatre.

In the depths and darkness of the Vaults Theatre we are transported into Tom’s confusion with creative use of lighting (Charlie Morgan Jones and Nick Harvey) which cleverly adds intensity and drama to his shifting thoughts. The entrancing, abstract sound by Alex Crispin blends curiously well with the rumbling of the trains overhead and Rob Watt’s artful direction offers the audience a sensitive yet provocative production. The intensity does wear off slightly, however, towards the second half of the show when the script becomes faintly dishevelled, resulting in a mixture of rambling, theatrically-portrayed memories as the two strangers help each other remember those they are forgetting.

Ian Bonar has worked in television, film and theatre. As a playwright he opens himself up to the possibilities of a different path of expression and ‘Be Prepared’ seems to expose something he needs to talk about. He connects immediately with the audience both as actor and writer, luring us into his world to share his personal interpretation of a subject common to all of us and which we rarely divulge with others. He mesmerises the audience and implores sympathy with unabashed earnestness. It is humorous but tastefully balanced, showing the uncontrolled hysteria which takes over in such life-changing moments.

When grief hits, it unplugs a multitude of sensations which bring disorder and distress. The nonsensical picture of life leaves us floundering and leads to a search for meaning. ‘Be Prepared’ is sad, funny, reflective and impassioned, awakening in us a bitter sweet response to an inevitable part of life.

 

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington 

Photography by The Other Richard

 


Be Prepared

Vaults Theatre until 11th February

 

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