Assured performances from all the cast
In regards to new writing and shorter form theatre the prominent opportunities over the summer tend to come in the form of Fringe festivals. These give performers and writers chances, and venues, to develop new work and entertain, writes Christopher Peacock.
The festivals, however, can be costly for a start and hugely competitive to even get into, so finding other events and spaces for new work is crucial for a vibrant theatre scene. The Union Theatre being one of those such places, is now on its fourth iteration of their Union Shorts this summer, showcasing eight new pieces of work.
By its nature the scope available for all of the plays was relatively narrow as the pieces were all only 10-20 minutes. What this does allow for is sharp and direct storytelling. Of the eight pieces two were monolugues. The first of these opened the night’s perfomances. George & His Parma Violets, by Michael Holland is a sentimental reminisce on heartbreak and love which set the tone for a reflective evening. The other monologue, Mugs Like Us by Michele Winstanley about an Australian girl’s encounter with law enforcement was more unsettling. The contrast in these two pieces alone highlighted the artistic room in even this short form theatre.
A couple of the pieces felt that their eyes were on something broader. Jupiter Toothpaste by Martina Cohen, a play about a social media influencer mother and the fraught relationship with her anxiety ridden daughter, felt like it needed more room to let the story develop and characters deepen. Other pieces made use of the limited time and were quicker to set the scene, the pick of those was Closure by Kelsey Egan. A haunting of an ex-boyfriend in an attempt to pass through to the afterlife was comically astute and could easily be the genesis of a full length piece, if they were so willing to take it in that direction. Two of the plays revolved around dating: Carpaccio by Valeria Suaste and One for the Road by Dominic Durcan, both of which were quite static but had charm and you feel would also work on film. No More Butterflies by Joe Facer was taking on a larger concept and could have been a pitch for an episode of Black Mirror. Of the eight, The Loud Speaker by Gregor Roach was the most familiar, feeling like a take on Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter.
All of the cast put in assured performances and as a night of theatre not only did it entertain but also left you feeling great about the new writing out there and its potential.
