Tag Archives: Vaults Theatre

The Poetry We Make – 4 Stars

Reviews, , , , , , , ,

Poetry

The Poetry We Make

The Vaults

Reviewed – 7th February 2018

★★★★

“This thought-provoking love story is one that I feel Dolly Parton would approve of”

 

Known for her big hair, big makeup and big voice, Dolly Parton is considered a living icon to many. She may have a ‘Barbie doll’ façade but in conjunction with this, she has used her business acumen to build the ‘Dolly’ brand into a multi-million dollar enterprise, proving you can have brains and beauty. It is understandable then, why playwright Jaswinder Blackwell-Pal uses Ms. Parton as the guardian angel and life coach within her new play The Poetry We Make. This touching work examines with sensitivity, the struggles of finding your true identity, and the upheaval to your life, and that of your loved ones, it may cause.

Elliott and Robin have been a couple for four years, steadily and lovingly travelling through the steps of a relationship, such as moving in together. However, Elliott’s world is rocked when she discovers that Robin has made the decision to start his transition into becoming a woman. Whilst metaphysically revisiting her memories, Elliott questions the legitimacy of their relationship, what it means to be a woman and where love can lie – all done with the supervision of her hero, Dolly Parton. Dolly offers words of wisdom through song and apparition, enabling Elliott to find peace and acceptance.

Elena Voce as Elliott and Elijah W Harris as Robin, have a natural chemistry and believability to their relationship that is lovely to encounter, making it more heartbreaking when you see the dilemma’s they both go through. Sam Thorpe-Spinks injects some needed humour as Robin’s best mate Paul, whose laddish behaviour subsides to present his affection and support of his friend’s decision. Mia Hall in full rhinestone-encrusted ‘Dolly’ garb is a lot of fun without being too gimmicky. Hall is a warm, sisterly figure to Voce’s Elliott, whilst also exhibiting her powerful singing voice through the musical interludes between scenes.

As strong as the performances are, there are certainly times when it feels let down by the writing. Jaswinder Blackwell-Pal does a good job at being thoughtful with the subject matter, without ever shying away from questioning what gender and identity means in this day and age. However, it is the construction of the scenes (particularly the flashbacks) and their placement within the production that can confuse. In summary, the content is great but the structure feels a little rough around the edges.

The Vaults space within the Waterloo tunnels are certainly not ideal for The Poetry We Make, being too narrow for any kind of wings. Nevertheless, the company manage, finding ways around this issue, creating the small and intimate environment that the story requires.

This thought-provoking love story is one that I feel Dolly Parton would approve of. Like she does in her songs, the play addresses serious, sometimes philosophical issues of the heart, whilst executed with warmth, sincerity and a small serving of humour.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

 


The Poetry We Make

Vaults Theatre until 11th February

 

 

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

 

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