A Preoccupation With Romance
Bathed in a warm and cosy glow, two teenagers sing gently
together; he plays the guitar and she reclines on the sofa, fixing
her twinkling eyes on his gangly frame. This is how we find Sonia
Jalaly and Paul Hilliar as we enter, and the low-key atmosphere
sets a precedent for the unfolding drama.
CloseKnit Theatre Company tell us that we are seeing ‘…the
smallest story of the greatest love.’ and their description could
not be more accurate. It does not pretend to be anything more than
it is: a tender and slow burning lament of a couple’s struggle to
fall in love.
With its classical roots evident, the piece, which juxtaposes
sparse dialogue with rhythmic, poetic monologues, allows the
actors opportunities to wallow in their own individual moments,
whilst simultaneously maintaining a sense of ensemble. The focus
is constantly shifting, along with the lights, which carefully
switch at regular intervals to cast different shadows and
perspectives on this developing affair. Many interesting choices
have been made: the actors often lock eyes with you as they speak,
and just for a split second, you see into their souls; instead of
overblown physical routines, there are ingeniously subtle,
bite-sized sequences; and the musical content feels remarkably
fresh – as well it should do, coming from the instruments of
unsigned bands who the company have met during the rehearsal
period.
There are a few drawbacks. It’s not always as exciting as one
would like, with sections feeling a tad flat and static, and at
times there is a sense of the audience’s attention wavering. You
could also argue that the plot is decidedly patchy and does not
really stray into particularly new territory, but the emotional
openness from the plucky young cast diverts you away from such
quibbles. Jalaly is an delightfully unshowy performer, moving from
frustrating uncertainty to grim acceptance, and Kelly Jackson
has a strong presence as Titania, delivering her share of
light-hearted moments.
So, a gently pleasant afternoon, which offers a bittersweet human
portrait of the complications of love. The 45 minutes whizzed past
– and there’s no greater compliment than that at the Fringe.
– Adam Elms
