Tangletree- JDJB Productions and TLBB Productions
“Am I dead?” is a fitting first line for a show that can only be described as intensely introspective.
In their painfully real reflection on brain injury, JDJB and TLBB Productions artfully bring together
toy monkeys, knitted shawls, and mimed record players to educate as well as to move.
In their painfully real reflection on brain injury, JDJB and TLBB Productions artfully bring together
toy monkeys, knitted shawls, and mimed record players to educate as well as to move.
This performance, overall, is an experience. The audience is informed, humbled, and made
intensely grateful, through genuine connection to what’s going on onstage. Perhaps this is
thanks to the obvious research that’s gone on behind the scenes - the blurb attests to “wide
research involving health professionals and people living with the outcomes of brain injury”. It
certainly pays off; expressions seem genuine and natural, and nuanced interactions evoke a sense
of real-life unreliability and idiosyncrasy.
intensely grateful, through genuine connection to what’s going on onstage. Perhaps this is
thanks to the obvious research that’s gone on behind the scenes - the blurb attests to “wide
research involving health professionals and people living with the outcomes of brain injury”. It
certainly pays off; expressions seem genuine and natural, and nuanced interactions evoke a sense
of real-life unreliability and idiosyncrasy.
Dramatic monologues, although wonderfully sincere and effective in moving the piece along,
follow a uniform back-and-forth and become repetitive. A slightly cliché soliloquy from the angsting
mother of a head-strong teen rears its head at one point, but due to the sheer magnitude of the
matter at hand, the audience is able to forgive her furtive knitting. Light relief from the rigours of
hospital-rooms and hysterics are provided by surreal sections, a particularly invigorating and
personal favourite of which featured a hot-pink hatted, slightly menacing carnival stall owner.
follow a uniform back-and-forth and become repetitive. A slightly cliché soliloquy from the angsting
mother of a head-strong teen rears its head at one point, but due to the sheer magnitude of the
matter at hand, the audience is able to forgive her furtive knitting. Light relief from the rigours of
hospital-rooms and hysterics are provided by surreal sections, a particularly invigorating and
personal favourite of which featured a hot-pink hatted, slightly menacing carnival stall owner.
The acting is brilliant, with the central character held constantly and unwaveringly,
whilst a second actress switches from mother, to nurse, to lecturer, and back to mother with
impressive agility. The lighting and sound design are impeccable, too; a switch-operated lighting
rig onstage creates a poignant rift between the actors at several points, and the larger stage
lighting is always perfectly timed. A rousing rendition of Massive Attack’s Karmacoma seems
slightly at odds to the overall vibe of the piece, but again, the rough is dished up with a generous
helping of the smooth.
whilst a second actress switches from mother, to nurse, to lecturer, and back to mother with
impressive agility. The lighting and sound design are impeccable, too; a switch-operated lighting
rig onstage creates a poignant rift between the actors at several points, and the larger stage
lighting is always perfectly timed. A rousing rendition of Massive Attack’s Karmacoma seems
slightly at odds to the overall vibe of the piece, but again, the rough is dished up with a generous
helping of the smooth.
See the show on Saturday 15th Sept, 8.00pm, or Sunday 16th Sept, 5.30pm, at The British School.
Written by Grace Spencer
No comments:
Post a Comment