Kyra’s programme shows she is also the writer, producer, director, stage designer, digital content creator social media co-ordinator and all-round hype-man. 

Sam Baxter on lighting, plus sound and music from bands and artists from the North. 

This performance took place in The King’s Arms, Salford, under the dome of the upstairs theatrical space. The stage is empty apart from a small desk, with the all-important envelope, and a covered flipchart. 

The opening is designed to appear that the actor has forgotten the time of performance and is caught out, unprepared, in bath hat and snoopy fleece. This leads to a very funny stream-of-consciousness revealing of her chronic lateness with brave and funny jokes that set the tone of openness. There is a comical anecdote about missing the Eurostar and ending up in Blackpool instead of Paris – which is almost the same ‘except for the greasy fingers and fake tits.’ 

A quick change introduces the ‘proper’ show and Isobella launches straight into the punchy, comic material that is her family. There are lots of excellent jokes here so I need to avoid giving too many spoilers, but the jokes about Veet and her dad trying to explain sanitary protection got lots of laughs. All the ‘Dad’ jokes were funny and we enjoyed the well-intentioned, traditional father-figure who inadvertently quotes the life-lessons from RuPaul. 

Isobella’s excellently paced routines are interspersed with her returning to the table to contemplate opening her letter from the university – a letter that could potentially change the direction of her life. She teases her audience by constantly putting off the reveal whilst she considers her options. She uses the full stage effectively and her flipchart is utilised for listing her positives and negatives 

Kyra’s script is brave, and the transitions between emotional extremes are handled expertly. The descriptions of Isobella’s mother’s suicide – and its after-effects – are moving, credible and very sensitively dealt with. In less experienced hands it could prove difficult to switch tone so quickly and effectively but Kyra navigates the return to humour with ease. One quick move across the stage to the flipchart and we are entertained by the comical origins of the siblings’ names. 

After a consideration of her family’s different responses to losing her to university (Dad gives her a Christmas stocking containing a stun gun and pepper spray) Isobella realises that she needs to consider her own opinions. What does she want to risk? Looking back at her life so far, she concludes that we are largely unable to control what happens to us; we can only control how we deal with the aftermath. 

The play runs for thirty minutes and I think we would have all happily watched for longer. Throughout the performance, Kyra remains in complete command of all her material, the pathos, the sensitivities, and the belly laughs. She conducts these with ease. The audience interactions were natural and unforced, and her pace was pitch perfect. 

I cannot tell you what we learn about the content of her envelope; that would be too much of a spoiler. But I, for one, was very happy with the play’s conclusion. It also leaves open the possibility of a sequel. Whether Kyra has one planned or not, I don’t know. But I don’t doubt will be hearing a lot more from this charismatic and highly watchable performer in the future. 

Josephine Galvin

The post It Is What It Is – Performed by Kyra Scott 26/27th July 2024 appeared first on Manchester Theatre Academy.

One-man plays present an enormous challenge – unless you’re Andrew Scott or Jodie Comer – yet since Covid we have seen a significant rise in the number of productions and certainly in quality. 

To entertain alone you have to have the energy of a stand-up comedian, the character versatility of a Shakespearean actor, simple portable props, complementary soundtracks – and, of course, an excellent director. 

It also helps if you have something additional and quirky.

Tides, written and performed by Joe Dennis and directed by Will Sutherland, makes full use of all these elements. On entering the auditorium at Salford Arts Theatre, we discovered many wacky and comical cartoon drawings pinned around. Not only were they all over the stage, they were also up the aisle and blue-tacked to the back of seats. I wished I’d gone to my seat earlier, to have time to appreciate them all, rather than lingering in the bar! 

These drawings set the scene of the inner life of our character, Dylan Ward. 

Without giving too many spoilers, Dylan charts his life from birth to adulthood; he deals with challenges that life throws at almost all of us but he portrays them through the specific viewpoint and challenges of autism. 

From the opening scene, with ‘I wish I was special’ soundtrack, we see his birth as a simplistic illustration and we watch as he lines up his action figures in specific order. He seems to be a contented child within the security of home and he clearly has a loving family. But early sensory overload issues start to show and then, of course, he has to venture out into the challenges of school. 

From here, whilst navigating the different stages of growing up, a David Attenborough- style voice-over observes Ryan’s own behaviours as an anthropological study. I really enjoyed this meta-technique especially as Ryan makes comments on it himself. 

As Ryan, Joe has excellent physical and vocal command of the stage – and audience concentration during this hour-long performance never falters. He is at his best at characters. The Mighty Oak, an array of other teachers, friends and employers are beautifully captured, believable, and entertaining. These are ably assisted by director, Will, whose half-face drawings bring a comic and credible touch.

With minimal costume, Joe excellently depicts the physicality of each developmental stage. As an audience, we laughed in empathy and recognition. Some of the situations are extremely poignant. I held my breath for Ryan when he waited for a prospective girlfriend to make up her mind. Having been unable to decipher her polite initial brush-off, he had taken her literally at her word. 

It is a measure of our engagement that we could feel our characters’ pain in so many situations; for me, it was the group work situation at university that really unearthed some buried horrors of my own.

The call centre scene was laugh-out-loud, from his cross-eyed eyed boss to his truthful way of reacting to awkward customers when their requests ‘Literally don’t make sense.’ In the workplace, however, explaining about his autism saves his job initially, as thankfully, companies are now required to support employees with communication difficulties. 

It is all credit to how involved we were as an audience that when Ryan receives the dreadful news of his mother’s death, we all sat in complete silence with him.

The final scene is positive, as he packs up his characters and chooses to display the illustration of a smiling young man. His mother’s voice is always with him and he is secure in the love his parents gave him. And, hopefully, the world he lives in is now more equipped to understand some of autism’s complexities. 

It one point in the play, Dylan says that autism is his superpower. But for Joe Dennis, his superpower is clearly his talent to entertain. 

Josephine Galvin for Manchester Theatre Academy.

The post Tides appeared first on Manchester Theatre Academy.

written and directed by Joe Walsh.

Raw, gritty, humorous and emotional; the perfect mix to raise awareness of the severity of homelessness in our society.

Review by Jayne Skudder

On entering the Way Studio, we were drawn into life on the streets of Manchester, the sounds and distractions, living amongst the debris of the city; a fort- a mock up home to provide a shelter from the elements. There, Barney sits, as if oblivious to the chaos surrounding him, silently going about his daily business, wandering around the space and coming back to his position. This elongated silence works to illustrate the monotony of his life and the human routine we cling to when seeking solace and safety.

Sound plays a big role in this play, with a great choice of music and audio to set the scene, providing news and interviews regarding homelessness. Over 230,000 homeless people inhabit the streets of Manchester and numbers are on the rise. Are they really just numbers?

We instantly feel invested in the characters of Barney, Sarah and Derek, such was the fine honing of their characterisation. These talented actors portray real, salt of the earth people and bring the realisation that every individual on the streets has a tale to tell.

Frozen Peas in an Old Tin, skilfully written and directed by Joe Walsh, holds a mirror to society and its preconceptions about homeless people; exploring the reactions of those more privileged. Derinda, Sarah’s old school friend, spouts about how they clutter the streets, looking unclean and untidy, when they should go out and get themselves jobs. Is it really that simple? 

It is heartwarming and sobering to bear witness to the lives of our three protagonists, with their toilet talk and northern banter. They bicker, laugh and love, with a true family dynamic.

There is a true human element running through this play, reminding us that we all have the same basic needs and this doesn’t stop because of where you live. Something as small as being gifted a sanitary pad is a  truly touching gesture, to Sarah and through this she is reminded that someone is looking out for her. 

Sarah played flawlessly by Lulu Marsh is a feisty character, who takes no prisoners: racked by grief at the loss of her sister-played by Hope Yolanda who moves effortlessly between a range of believable characters. 

A grief stricken Barney, naturally performed by Kyle Rowe, provides a love interest for Sarah. Rowe offers great comedy timing and well paced delivery, to portray a loveable-if not so quick on the uptake- lad who lost his way in life. His romance with Sarah is a beacon of hope in an otherwise harrowing existence. 

Derek played by Will Travis, with the utmost attention to detail provided a kind of father figure to Sarah and Barney, looking out for them and giving them hope of another life. He provides great humour as he shares his ‘Waterstones’ toilet experiences, amidst delivering witty one liners, like it’s second nature. His final touching monologue made the hairs on the back of my neck tingle and brought a tear to my eye. He truly harnessed the emotion and loneliness in this moment.

Full of light and shade, this play invites us to laugh and cry along with the characters and their plight to raise money to get the train to Southport. Derek’s dream of starting a band, using anything to hand, gave them purpose and in the end was the ultimate gift to get Barney and Sarah off the streets.  

Breaking the fourth wall, the gig allowed us to live and breath the moment, witness the comedy of suddenly being faced with a crowd of people and no Derek, to feel the vulnerability of Sarah as she falls back on her sister’s memory to serenade us with ‘Sitting on the Dock of The Bay’. 

A humbling piece of theatre, delivering the message home in such an entertaining way.

Would you like to help? Please donate to Homeless Aid UK

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A beautiful, moving, gritty piece of musical theatre, about real life Mancunians during the blitz.

It was my first ever visit to 53two theatre in Manchester and it certainly won’t be my last. This is a gem of a venue, oozing character and with its bare brick and arched ceiling, 53two provided the perfect setting for this heartwarming piece of stand out theatre.

From the get go, we were transported back to 1940; smog hanging in the air, amid suspended debris, while the familiar crackle of the broadcast met our ears, immersing us into the era and anticipation of the story about to unfold. 

A talented cast reeled us in with strong vocals and harmonies; a song fitting to and inspired by the era.  Transitions between songs and scenes were flawless and believable, presenting characters with true northern warmth, and a ‘find a way through’ attitude, that you’d imagine during war time. We are with the characters through every step of their journey and we care about them as if they are one of our own, such was the investment into the characterisation.

Comedy timing was en pointe throughout and contrasted well with the poignant, emotional scenes; there were some lovely moments, in particular, the umbrella scene to show the spark of romance between Lizzie (by played Amelia Simpson) and Bob (played by Alex Cosgriff). Movement was choreographed well to bring light hearted romance and comedy to the situation, as well as capturing that awkwardness of first encounters. This was very cleverly done. It was a favourite of my theatre companions and I. Nothing was over romanticised in this play, the raw reality of the situation was there, alongside the hope to carry on.

Love and friendship against all odds, were prevalent themes, making tragic events even more raw. The friendship between Mavis (played by Rebecca McAuley) and Lizzie was well pitched and blossomed throughout, with some lovely moments. We instantly felt the chemistry between the two as they chatted over a cuppa and Lizzie’s burnt bread and sang about the nostalgia for old times. Ida also made a great contrast with her hard exterior and stiff upper lip. Her entrances always held the audience and broke the fourth wall, bringing us into the action, with great comedy moments.

Direction was tight throughout with some great choreographed scenes and tableaus. We loved the contrast between the women and the men as they each relayed the story of their engagements. Jim’s account was simply asking Mavis if she fancied being his wife, while Mavis embellished and romanticised. This created some wonderful comedy.

To weave music and raw gritty scenes together and still retain an engaging plot, is no mean feat and this was successfully achieved in this piece. There was not a dry eye in the house as the final scene played out, we were not the only ones who were moved to tears and in fact it was a roller coaster of emotions throughout. The understated, natural performances, alongside a well written and directed piece, with just the right ambience, created a beautiful Christmas piece, sending the message home that there is always hope of new beginnings and that Christmas is not just about consumerism. Congratulations to all involved, I for one would recommend this show, the final night is tomorrow, if you can grab a ticket, you will not be disappointed.

https://www.53two.com/

https://imaginalityproductions.co.uk/realms-of-glory-programme

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A brave and inspiring piece of theatre

A warm buzzing atmosphere welcomed us into The Peer Hat for the final performance of ‘Totally Trucked’, part of this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe Festival. This was my first visit to this intimate venue, accompanied by theatre buddy and drama graduate Alice Galvin; we both agreed it wouldn’t be our last.

Totally Trucked is an autobiographical piece written and performed by Katie Damer herself; using comedy contrasting with pathos, as a vehicle to tell her story about living with ‘Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome’ and how it has affected her life.

From the outset, the talented writer and performer, Katie Damer reels us in, taking us back to those hazy teenage years, when all you wanted was to grab a bit more kip, turn the alarm off and make it to school in the nick of time; a time of raging hormones: first kisses and pushing the boundaries, it all resonates with us, and we laugh along, captivated by her every word. 

Katie then time shifts and  flawlessly feeds us the events that changed her life, the events that left her ever grasping for a normal teenage life once more.  Katie- during a health kick -was riding her bike when a truck hit her, mangling her bike beneath its wheel. We are there with her in the moment, so skillful is her storytelling and use of space. 

With a raucous gritty retelling of moments in her life- her ‘slag phase’, ‘losing her virginity’, her love of vodka and living it large, Katie has the audience in fits of laughter, making the plunges into sadness and PTSD even more poignant, revealing the ups and downs of her life- when she was told, she would suffer chronic pain for the rest of her life, even wheelchair bound.

Music and sound effects compliment the piece well, providing dialogue for the scenes with the therapist and answerphone message from her Mum as Katie finally attempts to take her own life. This all adds to the emotion, the drama and the comedy. The stage is simply set with a chair and a projector but we imagine every scene and it’s visually interesting because Katie owns the stage with her physical presence, like when she loses the use of her arm in Nandos and Curtis has to cut up her chicken.

Tackling the subject of teenage mental health and the pressures on young people, Katie takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotions when as well as her own experience, she tells of her close friends at drama school, falling victim to drug misuse, depression, anxiety, attempted suicide. 

This was a powerhouse performance from Katie, who kept us gripped and entertained throughout and even more so because it’s real, this is her own life. Her standing ovation at the end was well deserved. Katie has a real knack with storytelling, a true inspiration to young people to stick with it…a beacon of hope.Against all odds she powered through, got off the crutches and even ran a marathon!

 If you get a chance to see this, I would truly recommend it. 

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Directed by Hannah Heaton

Review by Jayne Skudder

Live Theatre is back with great gusto at this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe!

Staged at the Anthony Burgess centre in Manchester, ‘The Formidable Lizzie Boone’, written and performed by the talented Selina Helliwell, directed by Hannah Heaton, made its mark at this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

Simply set with a chair and minimal props, the stage was versatile to a range of settings and Selina’s performance filled the space, as she immersed herself into the complex character of Lizzie Boone. Lighting and sound effects successfully contributed to the atmosphere of the piece and signified the passing of time or different settings like when Lizzie performed her vibrant Burlesque number.

With themes of sexual assault and mental health this play tackles serious issues through comedy and pathos bringing us back to Lizzie’s reality like a slap in the face. This worked well when Lizzie began to perform Burlesque and her controlling boyfriend Rick (voice by Adrian Stretton) puts her down calling her a ‘selfish bitch’, who isn’t even hot. Voiceover is used intermittently to allow us to see how Lizzie interacts with other characters in her life and to act as a trigger to another thought/story. This works well and the pace as a result is en pointe.

Lizzie, we learn, is a troubled person and through her therapy sessions with Marie (Carla Kayani Lawman), we get a glimpse of Lizzie’s life at different stages- being bullied at six years old, called names and ridiculed for her appearance. Labelled a lesbian at high school, until at fifteen she lost her virginity to Sam, who told everyone! She then became- skank, slut, scrubber…The toxicity of words and how they can affect lives, has a common theme in Selina’s other play-Fruit Salad and is an important message to convey to society.

Voiceover (Mary taylor) from Debz with a Z -because it’s meant to be cool- brought much humour to the piece as the down to earth, vodka loving Debz elaborated on her relationship with men and sex. These snippets generated laughter throughout the auditorium but again drew on flaws in society and moved on the plot. 

Selina owned this role physically- the sexual assault scene involving Mr Paxam the PE teacher, was sensitively handled but the message was loud and clear and reflects how women are blamed for the behaviour of some men. This had a knock on effect to Lizzie’s mental health, in that it was never reported or even discussed; unfortunately this is still a true reality within society today. Theatre is an excellent forum to tackle and bring these issues to the forefront: a catalyst for change. It was a bold choice and a well executed piece.

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Peaches performed by Selina Helliwell

Cherry performed by Mary Taylor

My Live theatre experience of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival was brought to a halt, when Covid descended on our household but the digital events programme entered my home and ‘Fruit Salad’ certainly lived up to expectations, showing versatility in the face of the pandemic…

Striking the perfect balance between comedy and drama, Fruit Salad follows the themes of friendship, grappling for identity and just learning to love yourself. Well paced and funny, this gritty northern play- exploring what is to be a young woman in modern society today- centres around the local pub, which is created using three tables, introducing props like wine bottles, glasses, mobile phones, which are used naturally and effectively throughout.

Peaches and Cherry, united by fruit names and so much more, meet in their favourite local pub, with their whole lives ahead of them, they gossip about their latest crushes- Johnny the bartender, Peaches’ obsession with Tommy- much  to Cherry’s disgust. Characterisation is finely tuned from the off and we see initial contrasts between the two friends- Peaches seeking external approval, as opposed to Cherry who seems more self assured, full of advice, steering away from the materialistic. This was highlighted really well when Cherry asked if Peaches’ boyfriend was nice to her and she replied ‘He’s got tattoos all the way up his arms…’. It was one of many comedy moments exploring a serious message- it’s not all about aesthetics and someone telling you look beautiful. The onstage rapport and chemistry between actors Selina and Mary held real depth and truth, both playing their parts with natural ease throughout, with just the right amount of movement and expression to bring their believable characters to life.

Spanning over three or four years, we witness the ups and downs of our dynamic duo, we care for them; relate to their situations. Both show vulnerability and strength in their own unique ways and we feel they both have a hard time adjusting to student life. Peaches seems to solve it with alcohol and an endless stream of unsuitable men, Cherry looking for more of a soul mate, hooks up with a girl called Sarah but does not wish to be labelled a lesbian, she still fancies Johnny- she’s attracted to personalities.

Lighting sound and multi camera effects contribute to a successful digital viewing experience. Passing of time was shown through a ticking sound effect, close ups of glasses, music and changes of clothes. We feel like we are with them in the noisy club and outside where Peaches and Cherry finally come to blows. Peaches has spiraled out of control and is being abused by her latest fling but is she ready to listen to her judgmental friend, who always seems so together?

Mirroring the beginning, Peaches warns that words are toxic and once they’re out there, there’s no going back.

Fruit Salad is an entertaining, well performed piece, offering a cocktail of life, lots of laughs, with a real message to think about.

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By Libby Hall

Directed by Roni Ellis

Grass roots, gritty theatre from a truly promising ensemble…

On Saturday my Greater Manchester Fringe journey took me to Salford Arts Theatre, a warm, welcoming hub of the community. Running a youth drama group myself, I was keen to see a youth entry to the fringe festival and The Salford Arts Young Performers Company did not disappoint. 

Tackling the sensitive themes of child grooming and abuse, this piece written by Libby Hall is darkly comical with an engaging plot and excellent characterisation.

As the play opens, we are presented with voices, laughter, rain…sounds we might associate with childhood, touched with an eerie sense that something isn’t quite right. This audio along with music, sets the atmosphere of the scene; a popular haunt for the local teens in Salford; their playground in the woods, with an old mattress, scattered debris, a doll hanging from a rope; a symbol for more sinister happenings there.

Performances and direction were finely tuned. Line delivery was largely spot on and diction clear, which meant the pace was just right. Some interesting tableaus were created and the movement made the scenes dynamic and natural. 

Use of pause was effective, especially for John played by  Matthew Cox, who immersed himself in his character, with natural facial expressions and superb comedy/dramatic timing. We immediately felt the danger of the situation, as Rachel played by Molly Edwards wiped away the blood in a protective way. This sows the seed that Rachel is a loyal protective friend and allows us to understand her motivations later in the play when we learn she has attacked ‘Greg’ a teacher from school. Molly offers a strong performance with fully rounded characterisation juxtaposed well against the studious Holly (Leia Komorowska), who portrays the picture of innocence, dressed in her school uniform, waiting to meet her teacher, so she can get better at Maths.

 Loz entered the stage with great gusto and brought energy and comedy to the scene. Josie Leigh owned this part physically and mentally and her delivery was timed to perfection, accompanied with clear diction.  Played by Sienna Kavanagh, the character Kelsey brings comedy to the scene, with her sassy ways. Facial expressions were well honed and her character illustrates the teenage obsession with self image and social media. Underneath it all though, she is still there for her friends and we see a vulnerable side, her heavy makeup merely a mask to hide the child inside. Further innocence and comedy is brought out by the backstory of Alfie (Riley Mccaffrey), who believes his drug dealing father makes his money as the local gardener; this sent contagious laughter throughout the auditorium. Riley has a natural stage presence and seemed at ease with his role. Although we don’t know quite so much about Darcy’s home life, the character brings out humour, adds an element of sarcasm to mask her fear, she can be quite matter of fact and Scarlett Doyle, times her lines well for comedy impact.

Libby’s well written script facilitates typical teenage banter adding a sense of realism to this piece. We can all relate to these characters on various levels and the diversity injected into them  throws out the message that individuality should be celebrated; you can still be part of a friend group; just come as yourself. This is a bold piece of writing well executed by a talented cast, who, with the help of director Roni Ellis, interpreted the characters to perfection and brought the whole piece to life. Theatre is a perfect catalyst to address important issues in society and this play does just that. The message is out there, actions have consequences, always talk to an adult, you’re not alone.

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Review by Jayne Skudder Monday 6th September

If Megan Relph’s one woman show ‘Proper Adult’, is anything to go by, The Greater Manchester Fringe Festival is back with a blast this year, showing creativity knows no boundaries, after last year’s covid crisis hit our theatres.

Staff at Altrincham Garrick welcomed us with open arms into the Lauriston studio where Megan, already in character, set her scene. We truly believe we are in TGI Fridays, where the 18 year old has just got her first job as a ‘proper adult’, the set is simple but effective with attention to detail. Three tables become a myriad of scenes, throughout from TGI Fridays, to the protagonist’s bedroom and dreamlike memories of imaginary nostalgic play settings of time gone by: times spent with her younger brother Bobby, that she yearns for. Scenes are enhanced by sound and lighting effects which work seamlessly to denote passage of time and mood change.

From the off Megan reeled us in with her natural, captivating, stage presence, offering us some snacks, she was happily munching on, breaking the fourth wall and filling the studio. This interaction worked well throughout and the audience was fully on board, as Megan moved with versatility between a range of well rounded characters from her gossipy, single mum barging into her room, fag in hand, to the complaining condescending customer. Audience participation worked especially well when Megan did the TGI Fridays ‘Happy Birthday number’ and nobody held back in joining in. 

Characterisation was en pointe; developed using facial expression, well honed accents and physicality. The use of space and props is just right and transitions between scenes and characters flawless.

Engaging throughout, this piece offers a mixture of ‘down to earth’ comedy, with situations and characters we can all relate to, a believable backstory and heart rending pathos, as the plot twists. Everything came together so well in this piece and Megan should be commended for her outstanding performance, writing and commitment. It reminded me how much I have missed the energy of live theatre at its best and I hope to see this rising star again in the future.

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Written by Daniel Lovatt, Directed by Connor Goodwin

Review by Jayne Skudder 9th September 2021

With suicide on the rise in the UK, particularly in men, Daniel Lovatt’s thought provoking play explores themes of mental health and what it means to be ‘masculine’ in our ever evolving society, with its constraints and preconceptions on how a man should be. With a compelling plot, Daniel’s writing is poignant, bold and witty, with a northern gritty edge and dry humour throughout. Appealing to the audience through the medium of comedy works a treat in this piece and it was so well executed; when I read about the themes of this play, I might have expected to shed a tear or two but to catch myself belly laughing, took me by surprise. Entertaining as it is, Toxic has a higher purpose in raising awareness on mental health issues, offering a talking point, a journey towards breaking the mould and tackling the stigma attached to mental health today.

Embracing a subject that has for so long been taboo,  is no mean feat but the writing, direction and a talented cast of four, come together to make Toxic a successful and cathartic piece of theatre.

Grappling with depression, following a break up with his husband, Andy played by superbly Patrick Price, contemplates suicide and is coaxed down by his best mate James to talk it out in the Fox’s Head. The contrast between the two characters enhances comedy moments and highlights how people deal with their feelings and emotions in different ways. James is the archetypal joker-a bit of a lad-for whom life is one endless gag, or is it? The duo gel together with Andy’s dry sense of humour juxtaposed against James’s superficial gags that mask his inner vulnerability. Comedic moments are timed to perfection for maximum impact like when James tries to console Andy by reminding him of his red paisley wallpaper and he seems to contemplate, emerging momentarily from his haze ‘Well I do like that wallpaper…’ raucous laughter peeled though the studio, as the humour came in thick and fast.

James, played to perfection by Joe Gallogly, becomes Andy’s bugbear, as the days go on with his persistent jolly gags and knocking at the door, Andy’s reactions are well timed and priceless. The versatility of the set gives home to the lounge, the pub and the ‘suicide’ spot is symbolised using a black covered table at the back; the space is used effectively throughout, along with props such as Andy’s wine bottle, the pints of beer, kebabs after a night out and the trifle that Andy scoops out with his hands, signifying his spiral out of control, as he pigs out watching old videos of Henry.  

Essential to the plot and perfectly honed, are the characters of Patrick- Andy’s nephew- played by Joe Facer and Camo played by Joseph Thomas. Patrick, having been thrown out for drug abuse, rocks up at Andy’s house, looking for somewhere to crash and inadvertently gives purpose to his life again- even though he does clog the plug hole with his pubes, smokes weed and listens to techno- showing that everyone has their own coping strategy for their demons. Camo represents the working class, football loving male, whose answer to his problems is booze and banter and brushing off any kind of emotion, attributing it to being effeminate. It’s attitudes like this that need to change and through humour this play truly brings this home.

Eavesdropping on fellow audience members, it’s clear to see they were enthralled by this piece. Comments such as ‘How does he do that?’, ‘He really wins us over’, ‘Don’t you think it’s amazing’ filled the studio and I would wholeheartedly agree. You could hear a pin drop as the realistion that the happy go lucky James, is battling with his own demons hits home: just wearing his mask to conceal his true emotions, for fear that someone may see the chink in his armour, no words to express how he feels. Toxic brings mental health to the forefront in such a natural, humorous way, with well rounded characters and attention to detail-we all believe we know them.The message here is loud and clear talk to someone- this play matters and should be seen far and wide. Congratulations on a truly successful piece of theatre!

https://www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk/

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