Everyone loves a Greek Tragedy – the Ancient Greeks had an
amazing way of telling stories, way beyond their time, with comedies, tragedies
and so forth, elaborate and convoluted (in a good way!).
The Bacchae, by Euripides is nothing short of this. The
story follows Dionysus, who carries out punishment on his Aunt and his cousin,
after their continued disbelief in him being the son of Zeus. What entails is a
story of deceit, blood and gore, and heartbreak.
Esmond Road Productions have modernised this – Dionysus and
his cronies are dressed in neon festival-chic attire, reminiscent of 90’s
ravers, notably taking pills and enjoying all life has to offer. His cousin,
Pentheus, has taken a more middle class, and political approach, showing stubbornness
and false maturity. These contrasting
groups define the war zones and for whom each party is a part of. It is a clear
distinction in characters and makes this modern take very interesting.
However, the beginning gets off to a great start – a very
emotive Dionysus, who is engaging and with sultry tones to her voice, easy to
fall into her storytelling. But this party-rave-drug taking group lack a little
in this concept – a moment of them really raving to some techno, or a scene of
debauched fun would have solidified this and made their characters a little
less passing.
There is a brief lull midway, and at times feels as if this
is the part that has a little less work. It’s a shame for this lull, mostly
inhabited by normal conversation; it is understandable that this is part of the
story but perhaps another take on this would make it more engaging.
It is soon picked up at the end, when we see the tragedy
that Dionysus throws upon his cousin and her mother – there is genuine tears,
emotion and this is where we are thoroughly engaged – we feel for the
characters, we believe their pain and this moment to stop and take this in, pacing
the speech and actions, creates a very emotive and thoughtful ending.
The Bacchae is a great idea with its modernisation, featuring some great talent starting the piece and following up at the end, but lacks somewhat in the middle. With this part worked on, this piece could be very engaging all the way through.
I am going to start off, right off the bat, that it pains me
to write a sub-par review of something from The Royal Court. Usually, I cannot
come away from RC without being astounded, inspired and creatively shocked.
Unfortunately, this just did not happen this time.
Total Immediate Collective […] features the story of a
family, when faced with tragedy, separated, with the Father and Daughter
embarking on a cult-esque ideal about the world, and the Mother fighting back
for her Daughter. There is an essence of many likely groups across the World,
from terrorist groups to religious or cultural groups who create imaginative worlds
and predict the end, in one way or another. Therefore, it is not a strange tale
to believe.
We are asked to sit in a purpose-built circle, with a book
to follow the story. The book itself is full of impactful images and text; the
images tend to be accompanied by a sound scape, bringing it to life and making
it feel recognisable. However, while an interesting concept, the idea of
reading along felt school-like, and for me, provided plenty of distractions
from the play; from reading, to looking at other audience members, to waiting
for the performers to (intentionally) find their place – a lot of pausing, a
lot of waiting, a lot of missed action.
This did not exactly take to a good start of introducing us
to the book – as part of this cult-ideal, we are told with the word “okay” when
we are allowed to read – the Mother at the beginning explains this, however
with the natural urge to move on, the performers gave a strange and imposing
approach to anyone who defied this – leaving a audience member to sarcastically
comment ‘What? Are we in school?” to which the response, maybe not so much in
character, was an equally sarcastic “No, you’re in the theatre”. This made us
all feel quite uneasy, for both the performer and as audience members, and
perhaps tainted the next hour.
The performers themselves are wonderful and obviously very talented,
but rather than an impactful piece of theatre, I felt as if we were in a first
stage workshop.
I really wanted to like Total Immediate Collective[…]; an unusual concept, interesting writing, well performed; but all these elements just did not gel into a Royal Court standard piece.
What would you do, what CAN you do when you can only hear
your surroundings but lack the power to help?
Coma by Darkfield, one of their many shipping container
immersive experiences, engulfs us in an idea of medically induced coma states,
while other frightening and disturbing things happen around us, completely out
of our control.
Darkfield are very good at creating experiences that mainly
function on the power of persuasion, listening to a narrative and following our
own imagination. But equally, what happens in our heads, can be just as disturbing.
In a clinical yet odd style ‘hostel’, we are asked to lie
down on 3 tier bunkbeds, encouraged to make ourselves comfortable and to take a
little pill – though this is our choice, as we are told taking it or not taking
it makes little difference either way.
Plunged into darkness, with our headphones on, we are
influenced by commentary, by sounds that sound very near us and at times further
way, adding to our imagination of what we already know the room looks like.
Like all of Darkfield, there are moments of fear, of climaxes, but to tell you
these only destroys what you experience.
My only problem with Coma, is more dependent on the audience
member. To really throw yourself into this piece, to feel in a ‘coma’ you need
to really engage in a meditative state and give yourself fully to the relaxation
in your body to get the full extent of what they are trying to achieve.
Unfortunately, for me, while used to meditation, it just didn’t come easily for
me this one night and perhaps lead to me missing out on being more immersive
that I would be another day.
Coma is equally intriguing, exciting, and scary – go on, be brave, and engage in something you have never experienced before – but fully commit, to come away with something fantastic!
As someone who is scared of flying and therefore takes
sleeping pills to get through, this is probably not the best production to see.
Rightfully nervous, with knowledge of Darkfield, experiencing ‘Séance’ at the beginning of the year, my flight fear has gotten better after travelling, but the nerves are still there for this next experience.
I particularly liked how the Steward was very much into the
process of Flight – before entering the container, his language was all
reminiscent of a host on a flight, stating ‘We are a full flight today so please
sit in your allocated seating’
Like any flight, the inside is highly reminiscent of modern
planes, but with a hint of the past – small flip down screens above, which are
little know these days, playing a video of a hostess, which seems dated. From
the beginning, with out headphones on, things are already going wrong – the video
flickers, saying chopped and changed, and frightening phrases – we hear the
pilot and his conversation we should not hear.
Into the darkness, we hear through our headphones, cleverly
positioned to give the sense of encroaching hostess up the aisle. We give into our
imagination, and this unordinary flight feels calming, yet we anticipate what
happens.
As any Darkfield show, there are moments of shock, of fear,
elements of the set change, even now, with me thinking whether I dreamed seeing
that or not. They play on our minds; the experience feeling like a dream state,
when something disastrous happens, everything becomes normal again – did that
really happen?
If you have a fear of flying like me, you are in safe hands with Darkfield, and will come away having such a unique and unordinary experience. If you don’t, well… needless to say you will have equally an interesting and unusual immersive experience. These containers are for all.
Hi Katherine, great to meet you,
can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?
I’m a writer that works mainly in theatre and I’ve done a bit of film and TV and radio.
I love words and people and questioning things so I think being a writer is probably where I always would have ended up. I’m not from a theatre/arts background at all, I left school before A levels like all my friends. I was more or less always working from leaving school. Me and my friend worked for her Dad on the markets and street trading for a while and I was a waitress for different places. I did a stint on the breakfast shift in the Angel Hotel, Cardiff and also a few years in the Masonic hall for the Masons. When I didn’t have work I signed on and I was put on a YTS scheme that was for kids that had left school like me without qualifications. I happened to be sent to the Sherman Theatre , Cardiff and it changed everything for me.
The exterior of the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff in the 1980’s
I was in the finance and admin dept but loved being around the shows. Phil Clark who was Artistic Director at that time (Phil is the Director of a play I wrote ‘Peggy’s Song’ by National Theatre Wales which is about to go on tour) encouraged us all to go and see whatever was on. It was the late eighties, the time of Willy Russell and John Godber, perfect plays for someone like me who never went to theatre. I just loved it!
I worked at the Sherman for six years, I was always hanging around the production office and started volunteering to do stuff on the shows. So I chaperoned a bit and shadowed stage management and helped out on the Sherman Youth Theatre that sort of thing. When I was twenty-four I applied to Welsh College to do the Stage Management course, I didn’t have any qualifications so I really was surprised when I got on. I stage managed for a bit and then when I had kids I started writing. I had a very tough few years personally in my twenties and early thirties and it really changed the way I looked at life. I decided not to waste any more time, I wanted to be a writer and so that’s what I did.
I’ve never done any kind of
writing course but I think just being around performance for all of those years
gave me a sense of how to write for theatre. I believe that anyone can write a
play, that’s what I love about script writing, I wish more people from
backgrounds like mine would give it a go, it’s been a real joy for me to be
able to do something that I love.
This chat is specifically
about music and the role it has played in your personal and
professional life. Firstly to start off what are you currently listening
to?
At the moment I’m listening to James Brown and Aretha Franklin. I have to choose some songs for Peggy’s Song All the music used in Peggy’s Song is by artists who have died. Ghosts that stay with us.
When I write I more often than not have music attached to the play, which the director may or may not choose to use. Before it Rains was The Super Furry Animals, Bird was Curtis Mayfield, Thick as Thieves was Nina Simone and Lose Yourself was The Commodores. Sometimes when the show has finished it takes a while before you can go back to those songs because you are transported back to the play.
Before It Rains, Bird, Thick as Thieves, Lose Yourself.
Peggy’s Song has lots of music in it because the main character Danny played by Christian Patterson is a hospital DJ.
Christian Patterson in the role of Danny, Peggy’s Song by National Theatre Wales
We are interviewing a
range of people about their own musical inspiration, can you list 5
records/albums which have a personal resonance to you and why?
Five is
so difficult but I think it’s going to come down to memories for me.
Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
It’s a masterpiece. Everything about it, the production, the lyrics, the groove, the voice.
I could have chosen a few of his
albums because his work from the early seventies is genius, he’s up there with
the Beatles for me but this is the
album.
I don’t talk a lot about losing my sons but an interesting thing happened and this album leads me to that. In the period around and a few years after they died I really wasn’t able to listen to a lot of music. I think probably because you’re too raw and music gets into you. You put a hard shell around you, I think so you’re able to function and music was too manipulating. This was one of the only albums I listened to during that time. I remember playing it in the car a lot when my daughter was little, driving her around to different clubs and singing ‘Knocks Me off my Feet’ to her. It always makes me think of the kids being little and precious times with them and Guy. It’s a sunny day, windows open, album. Love and happiness.
https://youtu.be/RbSZeijqLTc
2. Saturday Night Fever – The Motion Picture Soundtrack
Just because it takes me back to my childhood. Family parties, Christmases’, Discos, A Benidorm holiday in 1979, my Dad, my Uncle, my sister, my cousins. We’re a family that likes to have a good time. You could rent us for a disco or a wedding to fill your dance floor to this album.
I love Disco. Donna Summer, Earth Wind and Fire, Chic, Chaka Khan, Odyssey. I have most of our disco albums from the seventies that I still play. I also love the Bee Gees but ‘If I Can’t Have You’, Yvonne Elliman is the song for me from this album, her voice is so full of full of heartbreak and drama.
3. Setting Sons – The Jam
The Jam and Paul Weller could have taken three of the five albums for me. I love Dig the New Breed, Sound Effects and Wild Wood but I keep coming back to Setting Sons.
I used ‘Thick as Thieves’ as a title for a play; it’s one of my favourite songs. Paul Weller is a master lyricist. We really felt he was speaking for us as teenagers. I think there’s a wave of working class kids who are now in their forties and fifties that hold Paul Weller in the highest regard, it’s like a club we all belong to. This album takes me back to my early teens, there was a mini mod revival. All the boys were wearing stay press trousers and Harringtons and Fred Perrys and Y cardies. Our youth club did a Thursday night disco and it was all The Jam or The Specials, The Selector or The Beat. Me and my friends Cath, Sheenagh and Lisa would go to the Northern Soul disco in the Transport Club in Grangetown on a Saturday. My love for Motown and Soul comes from that time and it’s the music I still listen to the most.
4. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You – Aretha Franklin
I mean. If I wanted to lose myself this is where I’d go. Perfection. ‘Do Right Woman, Do Right Man’ is the song for me from this one. Such a sassy song. She’s not asking him to do right by her, she’s telling him. I love it.
5. An Eighties Hits Compilation
I can’t decide the final one so I’m going for an eighties compilation record that has New Order, Depeche Mode, Human League, Yazoo, The Police, Wham, Michael Jackson, Prince, David Bowie, The Style Council, George Michael, Paul Young, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Madonna, Bananarama, Scritti Polliti, The Cure, Aztec Camera, Tears for Fears, Spandau Ballet, REM, Luther Vandross, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Cyndi Lauper, Crowded House, Talking Heads, Tracey Chapman, Anita Baker and many, many more.
I wanted an eighties album. It was going to be Prince, Purple Rain or George Michael, Faith but then there’s Human League Dare and and and – so I’ve gone for a compilation. A big one with loads of songs on. Full of memories.
https://youtu.be/9LX9urfbp-A
Just to put you on the spot could
you choose one track from the five listed above and tell us why you have
chosen this?
It has to be ‘Knocks Me Off My Feet’ Stevie Wonder. My kids and Guy are Love and happiness for me and that’s also what this song is.
Many thanks for your time
Tickets for the tour of Peggy’s Song produced by National Theatre Wales are available to book below.
Riverfront Newport – 25 September, 7.45pm BOOK NOW
Pontardawe Arts Centre – 26 September, 7.30pm & 27 September, 1pm & 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon – 1 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl – 2 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Theatr Hafren, Newtown – 3 October, 7.45pm BOOK NOW
Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea – 4 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Theatr Richard Burton, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff – 5 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Borough Theatre, Abergavenny – 7 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Blackwood Miners Institute – 8 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
Torch Theatre, Milford Haven – 9 October, 7.30pm BOOK NOW
In a one-person performance, there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the actor as the whole narrative is told through them and they have to keep the audience engaged and enthused. Which is clearly very difficult but Jose Pedro Fortuna didn’t seem to even hesitate in his one-man production of Entree performed at USW Atrium Theatre.
The plot of this play was pretty simple as it was about a master of ceremonies going to deliver some sort of speech. But as he gets ready start to go wrong and hilarity ensues. This shows a modern and contemporary interpretation of the classic art form of clowning by using magic tricks (which were incredible and mind-blowing to watch) and sound effects. One of the highlights of this concept was a trick where Pedro made a dropped card float from the floor to the top of a ladder where he was stood. This art form (clowning) is fundamentally very comical and Pedro also included traditionally physical theatre tropes such as being stuck in a curtain, the constant dropping of his bow-tie and misplacing props to create a piece of theatre that respected the tradition of clowning while also bringing it to the 21st century.
Pedro decided to make some other creative decisions such as having no dialogue in the entire play, a focus on physical comedy and having it be a nice easy production to watch. Because of all this and the nature of this show, I think the show would work better as a dinner time entertainment in a fancy restaurant rather than in a theatre as a play. Pedro has devised this play so that it built in a logical and natural way. Each prop was introduced in its own sketch before being included in the final set up which was really nice to watch. As a performer, Pedro was entertaining and jovial but also as a magician he was able to manipulate the audience attention and focus so he could perform his sleight of hand trick and certain comedy skits which worked excellently. It was especially fantastic to see the blending of magic and theatre which was a unique blend that I personally had never seen before but I definitely want to see explored again in the future.
This was a thirty-minute show which only added to how easy it was to catch. There were discussions about expanding it to an hour show in the future. This clearly shows how the play is in a sort of developmental phase. On top of this there were feedback forms handed out to find out what the audience enjoyed or not but also a Q and A at the end of the show (which was a fantastic idea as it allowed the audience to find out about the show making process etc) during this we found out that some aspects of the show are improvised and also that Pedro introduces new skills and tricks in different performances. This all means that no two shows of Entree are the same which makes it a very exciting piece of theatre.
In conclusion, Entree is a modern piece of clowning that had the audience laughing throughout. It is a unique show that is one not to miss. I would rate this show 4 out of 5 stars. Entree is a really entertaining piece of theatre that’s shows a side of clowning that many people have not seen before.
Opening The Other Room’s The Violence Series autumn season is Matthew Bulgo’s American Nightmare. Bulgo’s third play with Cardiff’s pub theatre, this rendition tackles class and the flaws in the reality of the ‘American Dream’.
American Nightmare follows two pairs of very different kinds of people. The elite class, represented by Clara (Ruth Ollman) and Greg (Chris Gordon) plotting a new scheme to control and exploit the working and under classes, which are represented by Daria (Lowri Izzard) and Elwood (Gwydion Rhys).
Clara and Greg sit, drinking and dining in a New York skyscraper as Clara entices Greg with an extremely lucrative business proposal that will change the landscape of America both physically and culturally.
Meanwhile, in a bunker somewhere in America, Daria and Elwood are taking part in a programme that aims to produce a set of obedient, low incentive driven workers under the orders from a character named ‘The Program’.
The writing from Matthew Bulgo is perfectly good for the most part. Clara and Greg are a little too prominent and really it’s mostly unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. The characters exist mainly to provide context rather than any real drama or story within itself. Context that could be more creatively explained and unravelled in a less predictive manner.
The story mainly comes from Daria and Ellwood, this is where we get tension and see in depth, complex characters. Daria’s story arch is brilliant and everything she does makes complete sense in the context of the play. Every move is calculated perfectly from Bulgo.
Ellwood is a well written, realistic character for who you feel both sympathy and frustration. He has his ideas of how the world is and is firm in being resilient in the face of it, but at his heart just wants to get away from it all and live off the land.
The direction from Sara Lloyd is understated. Lloyd expertly controls the manipulation and psychology between the two sets of characters that drives the drama and tension of the play. This is American Nightmare’s real strength and Lloyd makes the most of it.
Lloyd is accompanied by an excellent production team with Delyth Evans’ set in particular standing out. The highlight of which is a pair of sliding doors that part to unveil the elite and close to lock the poor in to the bunker.
Katy Morison’s lighting is simple, yet effective, working in conjuncture with Simon Clode’s videography that transitions the scenes. Tic Ashfield’s sound design doing its bit which blends nicely without invading the rest of the production.
Lowri Izzard is fantastic, perfectly displaying Daria’s journey and ulterior motives subtly throughout the play with the use of body movements and tone.
Gwydion Rhys is completely believable if not only for a poor Southern accent. His facial expressions are great as he transforms into Elwood. His descent is a shining light of the play and Rhys is a huge reason for this.
It’s hard to criticise Ruth Ollman and Chris Gordon but also hard to take too much from their performances. They have good chemistry and do their job well, but their characters don’t have much depth to delve into.
The main downer on the acting is Richard Harrington as ‘The Program’ who appears via video. As an authority figure with no remorse, he feels quite soft and unbelievable in the role.
There is one
issue that should not go unspoken in criticism of the play.
To ignore
race is a complete whitewashing of the issue of class in America. They are intrinsically
linked and whilst a white writer may not feel it appropriate to pass comment
the play is much weaker for overlooking this gaping hole in its content.
This is a
play set in a dystopian America – but what is written in fiction only holds
worth when considered in the context of it relates to real life. It is impossible
to talk about poverty, class and the American Dream in America without speaking
about race if you want to speak with true credibility.
Ignoring
race is potentially problematic considering what is suggested in this play has
literally happened and continues to happen to people of colour in the USA. This
is reality for some, this is what is happening.
The play is
exaggerated reality, yes. But all this play does is exaggerate the realities of
people of colour in America with a white face. If accidental a huge stroke of misfortune.
If intentionally ignoring the race aspect to poverty and class in the USA,
problematic.
The excuse of “that’s not what the play is about” isn’t valid here. The writer simply must tackle it to some extent. This is a whitewashing of the issue it deals with and the play is weaker for it.
Not to take away from what is there which is technically good writing, excellent production and some great acting. The issues with American Nightmare are what is missing in its content rather than its generally strong core.
American Nightmare at The Other Room, Cardiff 10th September – 29th September 2019 Written by Matthew Bulgo Directed by Sarah Lloyd Starring: Lowri Izzard as Daria Gwydion Rhys as Elwood Ruth Ollman as Clara Chris Gordon as Greg Richard Harrington as The Program Designer: Delyth Evans Lighting Designer: Katy Morison Sound Designer/Composer: Tic Ashfield Videographer: Simon Clode Production Manager: Rhys Williams Stage Manager: Hattie Wheeler Assistant Director: Duncan Hallis Casting Director: Nicola Reynolds Production photography: Kirsten McTernan Fight Director: Kev McCurdy Associate Director: Matthew Holmquist Accent Coach: Emma Stevens-Johnson BSL Interpreter: Sami Thorpe Set Builder: Will Goad
In the belly of one of London’s newest theatre’s, I
experienced one of the most emotional and best nights of my life.
Entering the space, we are welcome to live music, played by
a band of 7 – with brass instruments, electric guitars, sound scapes and a drum
kit. The set basic, only light bulbs above each person and in the ceiling, and
all dressed smartly but shoeless – I cannot tell you how much this minimalist
band excited me – something unusual and live!
Styx is a true-life play developed by two of the band members
who are siblings – there is a cross over of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice Greek
myth and their own grandparents’ lives. It tackles the issues and reality of dementia,
of love, of life and ultimately how memory works.
Second Body chop and change, from true recordings of their Grandmother,
new and brilliant music composed, written and performed by the band on stage,
spoken word and recordings from interviews with the band. While this sounds
like a lot, it really works amazingly well. There is a pattern to the
performance, and it felt like a dark yet humorous, genuine and unbelievably
cool musical. The story is brought to us, from beginning to end, as we get to
know their family, their grandparents, but with musical interludes.
Both of these are so genius-ly done that you could happily take
them apart from one another and still love every second – but you don’t want to
do that. It is so wonderful composed that it is hard not to love every single
person, to love their family and to really see their emotion and passion for
the piece.
This review feels hard to write – I could gush all day about
how phenomenal this piece was. Dementia is something close to me, but even if
you have never experienced this, you would have experienced some kind of grief
or ending of a story – and so I would defy anyone to come away not feeling
tearful, feeling welcomed and honoured in sharing their story and a warmth at
how beautifully this performance is.
So enough gushing – I can only see that if you do not see this, you will miss one of the best pieces of theatre I have ever seen. Styx is unlike anything I have ever experienced before, and tantalised every theatrical and personal emotion.
A philosophical play – what happens when your whole word beliefs are shattered? Who are you? What has or is your life about? Rabbits in the Precambrian tackles this thought with comedy, contemplation and interesting character development.
Wrong Shoe Theatre Company, fresh from Royal Holloway
University and The Front Room Croydon’s resident artists bring the story of a
group of people contemplating life and existence, with the help of a con artist
Guru. It features slapstick, clever writing and a conclusive ending tying up
all loose ends.
We see the differences in relationships, with the writing
allowing the characters to contemplate their own worlds and interests –
everyone has as big a role as the next, hitting areas not unlike a sitcom as
they interweave into one another’s stories and lives.
The actors themselves do well to create their own in-depth character
– two married couples, both with a lecturer half and the other a little unusual
in their interests – they compliment each other but at times it feels a little
like the males are very similar and the females are just the annoyed wives.
Perhaps a reversal in roles could make this more interesting and balanced in
the controversy of gender roles in today’s theatre.
There is a balance of slapstick humour and then philosophical
discussion – both being very well done, it felt like the two still needed to
gel a little more, crossing over into one another to compliment the unusual
storyline.
Particularly the character of Reed, played by Liam Crocker,
was excellent. He struck the right balance of hilarity to rationale – when finding
out that his life’s beliefs are disproved, his downward spiral is believable,
but his character is quick witted, comical and we relate to him and his disbelief
of the unusual events. Moments of monologue are directed to each of us, and we
feel included, the fourth wall breaking down, and it creates a nice moment
between us and the character.
The Guru, while part of the main plot, is also a great comic
relief. Think middle class, hipster kid, meets spiritualist. She strikes the
right vocal notes for this character, making her wistful and flakey but at the
same time a believable con artist.
The ending felt like a little work was needed – as a theatre
creator and at times writer, ending a piece is always quite difficult and I get
that once all the questions are answered, it is sometimes at a loss on how to
do this; and this is what it felt like was a minor struggle at the end. While
the final note hit the nail on the head, a little work on how to get there
could absolutely solidify this ending.
Rabbits in the Precambrian is full of fun, comedy and rational thinking – A play definitely worth seeing and to keep an eye on through development.
With a refreshing focus on the lost youth in a forgotten valley, Small Fry is a love-story to family, and the hope of a future.
(4 / 5)
For one night, the debut presentation of Small Fry in The Play Factory in Porth sparks a lot to be admired and celebrated. Originally conceived on the University of South Wales’ MA Drama course, and developed through scratch performances in the WMC and The Other Room, Small Fry is brought in full form, for the first time, to the people of Porth. This is a choice not to be underestimated as the power and compassion of its performance stays in the room long after the final bow. For the team of young theatre makers you can tell that this is just the beginning of many a successful future – an impression of optimism we unavoidably share for the play’s unexpected heroine Ellie Mathews.
In this one-woman play, Yasmin Williams commandeers the space as the brazen seventeen year-old. Williams takes the audience captive to her story transporting us with her from Cardiff’s Queen Street, to the savoury section in Greggs, to cramped antics in messy bathroom stalls, and back home to Porth. Jones and Neal’s choice of staging ensures that the space never fails to evolve with Williams yanking and draging us restlessly through the many locations of her story. At the front of the room is a square of wooden boards, perhaps still sticky from a youth disco or an OAP zumba class. Bordered by a bouncy carpet and passive leather sofas, on chairs set either side, our feet grounded on the boards below, they merge with the space. Our presence is necessary. We’re here to listen to voice often forgotten. In their lack of resources, the economy of the set drives the storytelling to joyfully creative means. With only a worn wooden bench, the challenge for it to establish as many scenes as possible offers up the most dynamic moments within the piece. Williams is captivating and sensitively honest in her portrayal of a lost young woman fighting to do her best for herself and her family. When she is at her most playful and mischievous she is at her best. Her entrance is an electrifying moment of her savouring that exact essence: prowling the stage, and daring her audience. In future performances, which I sincerely hope the play has, I predict Williams’ bold and brazen performance will become a fire-rocket of energy and daring assurance. Paired with the tempestuous pace of its script the production will provoke striking effect.
Lloyd’s script is as ingeniously funny as it is sensitively humble. Her script balances on a knife’s edge, yet never falling to romanced sentimentality or dismissive silliness. It wrangles between charmingly acerbic declarations of love for corned beef, and sobering admissions of an individual’s struggle. Corned beef, often considered an iconically working-class treat, is offered at the foyer before the play, set in Morrisons sharing tubs. Ellie’s morning pursuit for the tantalizing treat even consumes the first three to five minutes of the play. It’s a symbol of pleasure and celebration. Lloyd’s play is a celebration of a working-class heroine, never in spite of her background, but in homage to all that’s made her, and everything that she can be. The narrative never indulges despair or embitterment. It’s the story of a young life, raring and ready for all possibilities. Small Fry is not a focused polemic against the gate holders of an oppressive and often punitive existence. Lloyd doesn’t come for parliamentary budget cuts, or an under-funded NHS; she’s speaking to what it means to protect and serve family. An example of true compassion and care which is political in its very presentation. Small Fry is a declaration of duty and honour be it for country or for those we love. It’s a short and well-contained piece, yet the audience are left with loose ends to pull at. Lloyd covers a lot of bases in 50 minutes, some more thoroughly than others. However, I can’t help but feel that this is a deliberate, if not quite necessary, decision. Here is a young woman tearing at the framework for an existence she could have. The chaotic blur of Ellie’s former life leaves the lasting image all the more powerful.
Small Fry speaks to the optimism of youth. As the audience leave hoping that this can be realised for Ellie they inevitably will think of the play’s young theatre makers. They may go on to conquer beyond borders, but I am quite certain they will not forget their beloved hometowns any time soon.
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
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