Omnibus Theatre – until 2 December 2023
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Joe Eyre’s charming new play about grief is a wonderful mix of surreal comedy and heartfelt tragedy. Staged on a fluffy pink set that emphasises the comforting Alice needs, the show begins with a standup routine that stutters to a halt as Alice (Poppy Allen-Quarmby) breaks down, unable to see or hear her audience. Soothed by a man offstage, Alice calms and begins to sleep calmly again. Alice hasn’t been able to work since her father died a year ago. Boyfriend Oli (Luke Nunn) is a doctor and has been taking care of her, always there when she has nightmares, but now money is tight and Oli must work nights at the hospital, so they consider taking in a lodger. Ever-protective Oli makes sure Alice has a clear routine for getting rid of dodgy applicants, but that is all forgotten when Tiger turns up. Tiger (Meg Lewis) wears a full tiger suit which is never removed. Tiger’s absurd quirks – he never enters a room without a knock-knock joke – disarm Alice and she finds escape and comfort in his company. With a New Jersey accent, a lack of modern pop culture knowledge and full of a seemingly innocent, childlike need to help Alice (or himself?), Tiger confuses Oli. Suspicious, but aware that Tiger is a great comfort to Alice, he begrudgingly accepts the presence of this strange creature.
Joe Eyre never clarifies whether Tiger is real, imaginary or mystical but what is certain is that Tiger helps Alice begin to process her grief. A throwaway line drawing a parallel between Darth Vader’s helmet and Tiger’s head could be a moment of clarity for Alice, or a red herring. The ebb and flow of Alice’s grief and emotions is a rollercoaster for Oli as he is carrying a lot of guilt about her father’s death, and Alice’s anger at her father for leaving her is often channelled at Oli as well. Alice and Oli need to have some difficult conversations to move forward with their lives, but Alice always pulls back and escapes into silliness and fantasy to protect herself. There are no easy answers in Eyre’s script, and none of the characters are sure of their paths – grief is messy.
Director Myles O’Gorman handles the comedy and tragedy with a lightness that adds to the magical atmosphere. Eyre’s writing is wonderfully perceptive building a picture of a believable relationship with silly jokes, cruel barbs and awkward reconciliations, and Allen-Quarmby and Nunn give emotional performances. Allen-Quarmby swerves between manic silliness and numbness masterfully, while Nunn portrays the confusion and helplessness of Oli in a nuanced performance. Meg Lewis is terrific as Tiger – a wonderful physical performance with deft comic timing and an overwhelming sense of vulnerability.
Tiger is a sweet and slightly strange production with a heartwarming message of hope and kindness for the bereaved. Everybody needs a Tiger in their lives at some point.