It’s happening in the space between my face and yours

Theatre that holds life up for a good hard look and invites a response is rare and the best possible gift to an audience. This play came closer than many.

The story follows a houseful of friends and a desperate newcomer through realising their friend, Jack, is missing, into the grind of passing days and finally to certainty of her death. The dead girl, Jack, provides a commentary and asks some of the difficult questions.

This play is a straight-forward exploration of reactions to these circumstances, the characters had little subtlety and the complexities of relationships under strain were not explored. The play includes a couple falling in love and the relationship proceeds apace with only the smallest hint of the difficulties that would surround a relationship forming in those circumstances.

That is not to say this is not a valuable approach to the circumstances in the play. By clearing away some of the surrounding issues, the trajectory of loss was clear to see. There were poetic moments when the language and technique rose to the challenge. The actors were focussed and committed and did a very creditable job of making the audience think again about loss. The company worked together and have created a truly ensemble piece including the two people lurk in the background who turn out to be the people who killed Jack. They created a surly, sinister presence which helped create a frame for the action and hint at disruption and to some extent personified the darker side of city living.

The soundscape added a layer of tension. It was loud without being painful and present without being intrusive. The other technical elements contributed the right amount of presence and weight.

A play to be grateful for.

Ruth Richter

Director, lighting and set design: Nick Fry

Lighting operator: Joel Skurrie

Composer and sound design: James Hogan

Sound/AV operator: Marty Shlansky