Hits & Pieces #8 Bring Me To Life Edition, The Old Library Review
Written by Bronagh for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Content warnings: domestic violence, death, hate crimes.
https://mankind.org.uk/
https://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/
The year is 2003, and I’m nine years old. I remember switching on the television and scrolling the music channels until I came across the “Bring Me to Life” music video. For a nine year old it was so edgy and cool, something different to the pop music It’s only now, as a thirty-year-old who had their fair share of black box dyes and heavy eyeliner over the years, I understand the darkness of the lyrics and the meaning behind them. Hits and Pieces focuses on Bring Me to Life, a show comprising four short plays inspired by the lyrics.
I absolutely adore Hits and Pieces, always enjoying their shows. It certainly helps that the songs used as inspiration are total bangers, always suggested and voted for by the audience. Having already seen the shows based on Wannabe by The Spice Girls and Toxic by Britney Spears, I was so excited to see how Bring Me to Life would pan out. The concept may be fun, but also always covers important topics and Bring Me to Life was no exception, exploring dark themes such as domestic violence, death and hate crimes. I love seeing what the various creatives come up with, always in awe at their talent.
My personal favourite play was A Murder of Crows, a monologue written by Annette Brook, directed by Natasha Vasandani and performed by Linda McDade. A Murder of Crows was set in a school, where the ‘geese’ clash with the ‘crows’ for being different. It touched on the real life murder of Sophie Lancaster, who was murdered in 2007 simply for being ‘dressed like a goth’. This was a thought-provoking and well performed monologue, drawing attention to what many people may not realise was an alternative subculture hate crime. A Murder of Crows was perhaps the most relatable play for me, as someone who was never a ‘goose’ at school.
We had some familiar faces in the four plays who I’ve seen perform in Hits and Pieces shows previously. Eoin McKenna and Delilah Tahiri always deliver and are a joy to watch; it was great seeing them pair up for Versus, a play based on male on male domestic violence with Eoin acting as the heart, and Delilah as the brain. I am a huge fan of themes that are perhaps less likely to be used actually being explored and focus brought to them; Versus was a great way to kick off the evening.
Hits and Pieces moved locations from the Cockpit Theatre to The Old Library in New Cross. This is a totally different space to the Cockpit Theatre, which I do love, and fitted the vibe of Hits and Pieces. We’re always promised a playlist afterwards with the song that the show has focused on, as well as some of the same sort of genre and time. The playlist after the show delivered a lot of nostalgia, taking me back to being a teenager wearing plaid shirts and having an impressive side parting!
I will always sing the praises of Hits and Pieces shows, genuinely absolutely loving them and finding them so entertaining to watch. The cast and creatives are all so warm and friendly, their talent shining through in 15 minute shows which leave a lasting impression well after curtains down.
★★★★
