REVIEW | Forgiving (My Mother), The Glitch Southwark.
Written by Russell
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The Glitch on Lower Marsh in Southwark is the ideal setting for this new clever short play with a very simple setting. The space in the basement of this trendy South London venue seats around thirty, mostly friends and family tonight, and is an ideal place for new writing, comedy and music.
Two actors (Emilia Nurmukhamet and Pat Dynowska) are sitting on stalls on stage, reading through a script they're co-writing, in the play, the two actors are meant to be sisters in their early- mid twenties.
The director of the play (Anna Udras) is also on stage, initially with the occasional interjection which becomes more frequent as we progress. The script they are reading is about ‘the sisters’ different relationships with their rather horrible-sounding and very difficult mother. And we get a number of examples of why the younger sister was filled with so much anger and hate.
The play cleverly asks the question, do we believe in determinism? The fact that the question is asked via the use of a pretend play is a very clever way of introducing the idea of “are the character’s choices recognised as expressions of free will” or are we all “just products of a vast network of cause and effect” and to get us thinking about it.
There is some very good acting from everyone involved, and the actor who plays the younger sister Emilia- captures perfectly how annoying it can be to be in a room with someone reading a script who wants to break down every tiny line and every sentence for its hidden meaning and for “getting to know her character”. It is a massive massive pain in the backside when this happens and she recreates the frustration of the moment perfectly.
My favourite moments are when all three of the actors are squabbling and the director is on the verge of really letting go and screaming at the two ‘sisters’, it’s fun and quite realistic to watch.
At the end of the play, we are asked for comments and feedback, so I have one thing I noticed, which is, in the space of about three minutes, the older sister -Pat - uses the word ‘like’ and this is without any exaggeration whatsoever, she uses the word ‘like’ around three hundred thousand million times…like, it’s like… annoying and it like… needs to be pointed out for future performances.
Whether her character is doing it deliberately or she’s become oblivious to it, only they know.
It is serious and ‘Right-on’ and knowing and earnest but there are moments of delicate humour and the writing shows lots of promise and all three actors do their jobs very well. Overall, it’s an enjoyable look at a very profound and philosophical idea.
☆ ☆ ☆
