monologue | Nuts To Soup

T5 – Simon Stephens

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Nuts To Soup

T5 is a monologue. It is deeply modern. The character is an adult woman whose friends would probably think she actually does ‘have it all.’ I love to see the spotlight on a woman who does not have to be an object. Yet, I’m not sure T5 escapes all of the female stereotypes as there is a touch of hysteria in her. There is an emptiness to the piece that I wanted to be intentional, an echo of the emptiness of modernity, but the text did not, ultimately, make that feel true.

Cast: 1F – 30s. Run time: Again, no clue. Up to 30 minutes. Themes: modern life, escape, having it all, isolation. Play script: Methuen Drama

Uncle Varick – King’s Theatre – Edinburgh

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Nuts To Soup

“I thought it was Uncle Vanya.”

It is. But someone Scottish-ized it and it became Uncle Varick. This was the play I saw in Edinburgh and it was a bit of a dud.

A professional production is a professional production and this had all the hallmarks of well-executed theatre. I was not disappointed in the production value or the quality of the acting. This play fell down because it was also well-trod theatre. Laying Scottish values on the play did not make it new enough. ‘Yelena,’ whose Scottish name I don’t remember, had a wonderful 60’s mod wardrobe which was probably the freshest thing in the play. I looked forward to her wardrobe changes. That and the reminder to add Sofya’s closing speech to my list for dramatic monologues were about all I got out of the show.

It was nice to be out of an evening with friends. You can never underestimate the persistent excitement of being someplace new and foreign. I was really happy to keep my play streak going. And perhaps it’s also good to know that mediocre happens everywhere. Even in the places you had dreamed of as perfect.