Still Life & Train

A double bill of two short plays:

‘Still Life’ was sensitively directed and performed, focusing clearly on the characters and their relationships.  The atmosphere of a railway station café was created by: the clever use of lighting; apparently simple furniture, correctly-dressed; appropriate props and authentic sound effects, so that the chugging and steaming of the engine, the whistling of the Guard and the bustle of passengers enabled the audience to effortlessly imagine the world in which the characters existed. Context was added further by the Costume department, who provided an array of elegant hats and smart outfits for Laura and suitably respectable attire for Alec, alongside the more practical costumes for the workers.

Delivered with strong energy throughout, the characters were well-drawn by the actors: Alec was a confident and decisive professional, sure of himself, of what he wanted and willing to make it happen; Laura conveyed an unhappy, uncertain and uncomfortable housewife, clutching at romance with Alec, but unable to cast off respectability and her humdrum life; both were skilled at being inactive whilst  remaining present in the moment.  Café staff Myrtle and Beryl created exactly the affectionate but disciplined relationship between a bossy but kindly, tea-lady and a hapless, giggly waitress with an eye to the young Porter with the twinkly smile; Albert enjoyed flirting outrageously with Myrtle; the soldiers were suitably raucous and comical; nosy Dolly Waters was played breezily and entirely convincingly, crushing any chance of further romance between Laura and Alec.

Directed with sincerity and a lightness of touch which drew out the humour in the relationships between all the characters, this was a most enjoyable and entertaining performance.

‘Train’ was directed by its author, Sean Colledge, who explores the relationships between strangers on a train, introducing contemporary issues yet achieving a timeless quality and appeal.  Simply staged using chairs and tables, with sound effects to signify the opening of the doors, the situation was generally clear, with Mary’s unsteady gait implying the movement of the train.  The use of white noise between scenes provided an other-worldly contrast to the nostalgic music of ‘Still Life’.

The actors’ wholehearted commitment was evident throughout the performance: energy levels were high as the characters sprang to life.  Danny personified a loud, swaggering, young IT professional, keen to impress everyone in the carriage; Graham was a steady, contemplative, retired police officer; Mary heatedly spouted all the prejudices of a familiar, narrow-minded generation, before resignedly accepting her doom ; Helen was on the ball as the concerned but confident mother, doing her best to bring up a teenage girl in a difficult world; Sam, as the convincingly sweet and innocent daughter startled us  with her shocking revelations; Joe remained a little detached, something of an enigma, as did the Guard, whose occasional appearances explained little and implied much.

Broaching current topics and realistic situations, this short new play encourages the audience to ponder various manifestations of the human condition and their everlasting consequences – an updated, refreshing view of a traditional theme, performed with conviction, energy and enthusiasm.  A thought-provoking and entertaining performance. 

 

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