Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield – 11th May 2022
Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth
4****
Lava stops at the at the Crucible Studio theatre for one night only. The play (written by James Fritz) is a journey through the stages of grief and how people cope through that; while experiencing all the usual other bits and bobs that life throws as you, like friendship, love and basic human contact.
It is set in a small town, miles away from London. London is in the aftermath of a natural disaster (a small asteroid has hit) and everybody has been affected someway or another. We meet a young man, Vin (Dan Parr) who is not able to speak as he has done in the past. The reasons for his silence are left as a mystery right until the end, and they’ll be no spoilers here! Vin’s mum Vicky (Kacey Ainsworth) cares immensely but has had a recent loss of her own. We watch the story unfold and observe Vin’s friend, Rach (Bethany Antonia) trying to get Vin out of his silence…
The cast are awesome with outstanding performances from each actor. Antonia is fresh, playful and you feel yourself really warming to her. Ainsworths’ performance is intense at times and so believable with touches of humour that really get you giggling. She really does steal the show with her emotive talk to Vin towards the end, leaving you rather unsure about how much more real it could feel. The comedic timing and presence from Oli Higginson (Jamie) is polished and he gets the most laughs during some of the cringe-worthy moments in this black comedy.
The set is plain and simple but hats off to the company for the use of the stage, every inch and corner is used. The lighting and visuals projected on to the set are effective and enable the one-act play to stay engaging and bright.
Lava explores what happens to those who can’t express themselves fully in a world that celebrates self-expression. It digs deep and feels like a real dive into the world of mental health and how it effects the individual and those around them.
An intriguing, emotive, fun journey.