May 2010
Directed by John Norris
We left the theatre with the sound of laughter ringing in our ears. Yes, it was a terrific evening, very cleverly programmed and equally deftly performed. Sincerest congrats to both John Norris and Elizabeth Cross.
In the first piece, Paul Asher’s Attorney’s simmering monologue was wonderfully interrupted by Steve Rowland’s (Attendant) sardonic, pan faced one-line interjections. Later we saw the Attorney “exploding” in frustration to be met by more of the same understated responses from the Attendant who said that there was no alternative but Hell. Another touch of humour was offered by the back projection of a No Smoking sign that indicated the entrance to Hell.
In the second piece the wonderfully insecure Kim (played so imaginatively by Nathan Farrell) developed wonderfully into the “new” boy who took over the life and death Samaritan type service run by the acerbic Dr Russell (Annabelle Farrell) and the almost sycophantic and over confident Marty (played by Alex Hickman).
Kim ends the piece by putting these two firmly in their places. His ploy in his attempt to retrieve the address of his “lost” suicide client is to tell the Police of a possible bomb threat in order to get them to take the search seriously.
The “villain” of the piece was Dorothy (Gilly Fick) whose misery was expressed in such a humorous way that we both laughed and cried with and for her. Dorothy was beautifully played by Gilly Fick who became so real that one felt like mounting the stage to put a comforting arm around her.
The third piece was by Woody Allen, the tragedy was totally obscured by the hilarity of the characterisation. There was absolutely dazzling interplay between all the characters but Phyllis (Mary Parsons) and Carol (Bernadette O’Sullivan) were outstanding. The later entry of Howard (Steve Rowland) and Sam (Paul Asher) added wonderfully to the hilarity and confusion.
This was to become even more intense when Sam introduced his love of the moment, Juliet played by Claire Stimpson. Her frothy, dizzy and deliciously immature characterisation was the icing on the cake. Truly excellent performances all round.
Such performances don’t happen by accident. The lighting and sound were, as ever at the Nomads, excellent and served to enhance the whole evening. Props and Set were minimal and hugely effective. Congratulations to all involved not least to the back stage crew without whom no show would leave the page.
If there is a weakness in the Nomad’s set up it is in failing to achieve bigger audiences. This is a problem they share with even the biggest and best-known London theatres. Surely there must be a local solution to our local problem of getting the audiences that the performers and supporting team deserve.
Any ideas?????
Polly
