Post by joem on May 1, 2016 20:00:05 GMT
Sometimes the unexpected treats are the best treats. Not having booked anything in advance for today, we had just enough to get from our Bloomsbury cubby-hole to the Tristan Bates Theatre (where I've been meaning to go for ages but never quite made it) in time to catch a play, "Blue on Blue", by Chips Hardy. I must confess I knew nothing of either the play or the playwright but was chuffed to see I shared a surname with the main character - the last time this happened was with Sam Shephard's "The Late Henry Moss". On neither occasion did this get me a discount or anything.
The play is about Moss (Darren Swift), an army veteran who has lost both his legs through friendly-fire (blue on blue is a euphemism for that particular euphemism), his relationship with Carver (Daniel Gentely) his "sort-of" young nephew and their mutual relationship with Marta (Ida Bonnast), a Hungarian carer. The play is about damaged people, physically and mentally, but also about the hope that things might get better through honesty and support.
The cast of three worked together well and with fairly basic props and staging created a believable world. Dialogue was sharp and delivered with gusto, great sense of timing all told. There is a surprising amount of humour in what is a very dark premise. The audience was small but enthisiastic and I firmly believe this production deserves better support from the theatregoing public.
I don't want to sound patronising - it's the last thing on my mind - but the bravery of Darren Swift in becoming an actor, after what he must have gone through, defies belief and is a lesson to all of us.
Honesty, talent and commitment; this is what makes theatre so special. Stem ginger ice-cream, After Eights and Hollywood stars are all decidely optional extras.
The play is about Moss (Darren Swift), an army veteran who has lost both his legs through friendly-fire (blue on blue is a euphemism for that particular euphemism), his relationship with Carver (Daniel Gentely) his "sort-of" young nephew and their mutual relationship with Marta (Ida Bonnast), a Hungarian carer. The play is about damaged people, physically and mentally, but also about the hope that things might get better through honesty and support.
The cast of three worked together well and with fairly basic props and staging created a believable world. Dialogue was sharp and delivered with gusto, great sense of timing all told. There is a surprising amount of humour in what is a very dark premise. The audience was small but enthisiastic and I firmly believe this production deserves better support from the theatregoing public.
I don't want to sound patronising - it's the last thing on my mind - but the bravery of Darren Swift in becoming an actor, after what he must have gone through, defies belief and is a lesson to all of us.
Honesty, talent and commitment; this is what makes theatre so special. Stem ginger ice-cream, After Eights and Hollywood stars are all decidely optional extras.