Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons

Nantwich Players were back on stage with their production of ‘Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons’, which was performed as part of their Studio initiative. This production is also being entered into the All England Theatre Festival. Directed by Bethany Gail, this was a one act play, performed (in the whole) by two performers. Both performers should be at the top of their game and complement each other well, especially in, what is fundamentally, a love story. The pace throughout was strong. There were moments of quietness and tenderness, which were played beautifully. The staging was simple, and almost clinical in the pure white colour. The staging allowed the performances to be the main focus of the production. The play is non-linear, as we encounter the characters in snippets of their life, from their first meeting to the ‘Quietude’ law being enforced. The choreographed moments between Holly and Kit aided the transitions between the snippets of their life, allowing the audience to follow the narrative. The physical moments enhanced the storytelling, further exploring their relationship through the course of the production. The costumes reflected the modern setting, and allowed Holly and Kit to perform the physical pieces with ease.

Technical aspects were strong throughout the production. The devices that the characters wore to show their word limit were very clever, changing colour as their limit decreased. The projections used worked very well, especially the news reports that both characters watched with the audience. The lighting was good, and with the white set, it allowed the coloured lighting, when used, to have a greater impact.

Holly Bevins-Jones (Bernadette) and Kit Phillips (Oliver) matched each other perfectly, delivering totally honest and believable performances. The chemistry between them both was great, and it was clear how in-sync they were with each other, especially in the physical moments of the piece. Both performers were expressive, which was important, especially in the moments where they had used their word limit. Their reactions conveyed their feelings perfectly, allowing the audience to understand how the characters were feeling at certain moments. Both Holly and Kit delivered accomplished performances. Well done both!

Overall, this was a very good production. The performances were top quality; the physicality added enormously to the piece; and it was a thought-provoking production.

A big thank you to everyone at Nantwich Players for their kind invite.

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