REVIEW | The Swearing Jar, New Perspectives
★ ★ ★ ★
Reviewer - Stacy
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.
Imagine this...you're sat in a small scale theatre space, and an open and inviting set situated at arms reach, filled with familiar, yet intriguing objects. A man enters this space and walks among the set, he adds to this intrigue, and then...it begins...and every emotion is laid bare for you to feel.
The Swearing Jar doesn't hold back, it grabs your heart with both hands and moulds and massages it until you're left rung out. Leaving you wondering, why you never carry a tissue, if your mascara has hit your chin yet, and how your heart could easily break in two from what you have just witnessed. From the set to staging, to the songs and the cast, this smorgasbord of emotion hit hard, from the opening chords and didn't let go.
The play originated in Canada, then made its way across the pond, via New York, with an independent film thrown in for good measure. It certainly hit a "uniquely British vibe" to quote Angharad Jones, Artistic Director and CEO of New Perspectives. This new British tone of voice opened up and invited the audience in, due to familiarity and close-to-home humour, ensuring a script that came to life in a fine voice, filled with heart and humour.
Pumping oxygen into the script is a quartet of characters, who really understood the job at hand. Paige Round, playing Carey, was the glue that bound the piece together. Pure raw emotion and natural ease in her portrayal, created a fully rounded character that was perfectly flawed and lost due to life's unfair offerings. Every nuance of emotion was visible in a performance that elevated the piece.
Additionally, Joe Wiltshire Smith, playing the role of Simon, added Welsh charm to the part. There was a visible connection with Paige on stage, in a believable portrayal of marriage and memories. Tanya Myers, playing Bev, had many moments of heartbreak that shone through the narration and Stanton Wright, as Owen, created an almost haunting presence on stage. Due to clever staging, he was visible for most of the piece, in an excellent play on time lines that kept the audience guessing. Four different acting approaches, that navigated this theatrical journey well together, to showcase life, love and loss in all its ugly glory.
My only critique came from the ending to Act 1...I personally felt that a musical cue, in reaction to the event, would have intensified and prolonged the feeling for the audience and would have also solidly signified the beginning of the interval. However, The Swearing Jar had heart in abundance, with songs woven beautifully throughout. It took me on a journey of tears and heartbreak, with love lighting the way.
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