Live Theatre Newcastle – until Saturday 16th December
Reviewed by Sandra Little
3***
The Live Theatre website describes this production as 3 short plays with music, “exploring love in all its glorious, sticky complexity.” The website also includes interesting short interviews with the writers and actors.
The Start of Space, written by Laura Lindow
This is the first play in this trilogy. The main part (Dr McGill) is played by Imogen Stubbs and the play is primarily a monologue. At the beginning of the play Dr McGill, a heart surgeon, gives a lecture on the factual aspects of the heart to a group of junior doctors. We learn that the heart of a baby is about the size of a walnut and an adult heart is about the size of a clenched fist.
As the play develops the audience are introduced to a child (Laila Zaidi) waiting for a transplant and Dr McGill gradually reveals to the audience more about her personal life. We learn about the complex relationships Dr McGill has with her patient, her partner and her adult child.
I particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition in this play between the factual information relating to the heart and the emotional connection we usually associate with this vital organ.
Fangirl or the Justification of Limerence, written by Naomi Obeng
The second play in this trilogy introduces the audience to the main character Clara (Laila Zaidi) who is an obsessive fan of her idol. We are told that Clara will do anything to protect her idol’s reputation including posing as him on line. This short play includes numerous references to social media and demonstrates the lengths some fans will go to when obsessed by their idol.
This play tends to have a religious feel and the idol is often referred to as god.
For me it seems to link religious obsession that some people experience, with the obsession people experience regarding celebrities.
With the Love of Neither God nor State, written by Vici Wreford-Sinnott
This final play is set in a social club that is about to close and open as a food bank and community café serving Love Soup. The main character (Greta) is played by Rebecca Glendinning-Laycock. Greta is a young girl who has been in a care home for most of her life, she embarks on a journey to find her family and somewhere she belongs. Greta eventually finds shelter in a social club and also finds a sense of belonging. We are told that Greta feels she is in a world that doesn’t understand her and interestingly both the character (Greta) and the actor (Rebecca) are neuro-divergent.
Music provided by Jayne Dent, plays a part in all 3 plays and I enjoyed the banjo medley included in the final play.
This latest work from Live Theatre is not a conventional take on acts of love as we often think of them and does give an unusual twist on traditional views. A full house watched this production and there was warm applause at the end of the performance.