PARLEY!

This is a charming theatrical venture that draws directly from the theatre of the absurd. PARLEY! especially looks to the work of Beckett in Waiting for Godot. Ant (Larkin) and Pea (Besselink) are two characters who are lost at sea and this functions as a metaphor for their existence. There is an instant quaintness about their appearance which is aided by a beautifully designed and very atmospheric set. The gentle rhythms of the dialogue convey warmth from the characters that is rather unexpected and uncharacteristic of the genre.

Pea and Ant are remarkably nonchalant given their circumstance, and they do not seem sufficiently annoyed and peeved at one another, or their condition, to warrant the dramatic ending that is suggested. Their antics are often amusing and perceived as irritating rather than exasperating. The expectation of profoundly life changing perspectives, that one would expect from their absurd bickering, is not prioritised in this play.

Cast adrift, the two characters while away the time with music, song and aimless games and this invokes their existential quandary. Their exchanges are often gentle and their banter is also often quite sweet and tender. The performances have a light, ethereal touch with some very expressive moments. The absence of a more bitter or menacing tone makes the play more soulful, and this is one of the promising qualities that this original and inventive text offers.

Patricia Di Risio