Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle – until 4th May 2024
Reviewed by Sandra Little
3***
This current offering from Alphabetti Theatre was written by Gobscure, directed by Ali Pritchard and performed by Zoe Lambert and Rebecca Glendinning-Laycock. In addition to the two main performers, 18 guest artists are also providing micro-commissions and contributing to the performances. Further details of the artists involved can be found on the Alphabetti website. During the performance watched for this review on 17th April, Toni Hurford, a survivor poet, read 3 of her own poems.
The blurb accompanying this performance describes it as, “two intertwining monologues delving into similar themes from opposing perspectives.” The two monologues explore themes of imprisonment; one from the perspective of an American protestor (Kathy Boudin) and the other from someone who lived at Cruddas Park in Newcastle. Kathy Boudin was a convicted terrorist who was involved in the bombing of government buildings to express opposition to U.S. foreign policy and racism.
In the first monologue narrated by Zoe Lambert, the notion of violence as a form of protest is given some justification. Zoe’s monologue also includes several references to nature with the repetition of the phrase, “larch, birch, pine,” used to illustrate this stance. Zoe used a snow globe, paper snowflakes and snowballs to illustrate her narrative!
The second monologue performed by Rebecca, delves into life in a psych-ICU-prison. During this monologue we learn that sleep deprivation is the most effective form of torture, teaspoons are a useful implement to aid escape being as they can be effectively hidden on one’s person, and nurses check carefully that anti psychotic drugs have been swallowed by a patient! We are also told several times that the patient concerned was observed laughing at Graham Norton. This addition to the script adds a lighter touch to quite dark subject matter!
As is the case for most Alphabetti productions, there was a very simple set constructed from black blocks, actors wore plan black clothing and there was little in the way of props other than a snow globe, paper snowflakes and paper snowballs.
I must confess that I found the script for this production quite confusing and struggled to understand some of the messages being conveyed. There were clearly ideas expressed about imprisonment, however I’m not sure if there were also references to the destruction of northern territories. Despite my confusion, I did learn something during my visit to Alphabetti. Toni explained that the meaning of the word, “Tyne” is obscure and it is thought that it could mean either, “River” or “Dirty” or “Flowing.” This observation did make me think as it is something I’ve never ever stopped to consider.
This latest offering from Alphabetti Theatre is a,”Pay what you feel,” production until 20th April.