TWO

TWO by Jim Cartright, was first performed in 1989 at the Octagon Theatre Bolton. It is a very funny and touchingly poignant play, usually done by two actors, Stoke Youth chose seven of their LAMDA Academy performers to present the play.

The cast all played easily in the 80’s pub setting, The opening scene really established the friendly affable public appearance of Landlord, Jack Roberts and Landlady, Shonatte Yamou. Interacting verbally initially with invisible clientele, business fluctuates between busy and slack, a typical night at most pubs.

Appearances can of course be deceiving, there was a strong undercurrent of niggling mutual contempt brewing between mine hosts from the get-go, this bubbled under until finally exploding in a sea of revulsion and guilt later in Act II. The night being the anniversary of the death of their seven-year-old, the utter devastating pain both felt and clearly showed was driving them to hate one another. Great ranges of emotions, I loved the snipping.

The was some excellent interaction between the various pairings and the solo scenes as well. The utterly harrowing scene between violent controlling boyfriend Roy - Arran Johnson, together with Lizzie Daily-Hunt as his beleaguered girlfriend Lesley, both totally immersed in their roles, it was a hard watch but ultimately rewarding. So were their Old Man and Woman solo scenes, well observed. Arran’s Old man, reaching for his teapot from his shopping trolley to talk to his wife’s spirit, you could hear a pin drop.

Jess Lello’s horny harridan Mrs. Iger, was laugh out loud hilarious, her well stressed love for BIG hulking men was such a contradiction to the stature of her poor, mentally cuckolded husband Mr. Igor, Bodhi Chunil, as he meekly excused his way across row C, to make his way to the bar to buy them both a drink, this was again, really well observed and written.

Bodhi also excelled as Moth, the ever-hopeful womaniser, playing against Tilly-Jane Harvey as his much put upon girlfriend and financial benefactor Maudie. This was like a highly condensed soap opera, brilliantly done.

Directed by Sian Jones, she really got the best from her cast. Two gave us pathos, deep sorrow, menace, brilliant light and shade observational comedy. A real cross section of society all coming together in the local. Good use of 80’s music.

My only real note is the costumes, as this was set in the 80’s, hot on the tail of the New Romantics movement, people dressed up to go out, even to the supermarket, it was a time of high fashion, shoulder pads, power dressing, seamed stockings and stiletto heels, no-one went out at night bare legged in trainers.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.