There is a theory in literary circles that, at some point in the writing process, the characters will take on a life of their own and as such, will dictate their journey to the writer.
A fantastic production by York Dramasoc, who bring a sparkling display of comedy and drama to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Our heroes in the piece, Morphine and Porcelain, are two fictional characters that exist, for the most part, solely on a stage as they await instructions from their writer. It is a wonderful concept developed by Sam Essome where the plot jumps between existential discussions amongst the characters about their purpose on stage and hilarious moments where their words and actions are dictated solely by “The Writer”, a character that exists in a world outside the setting of the play. It is a delicate balance to achieve, but is done brilliantly by a very talented cast.
Inspired performances from Kate Lansdale (Morphine) and Annabel Reigate (Porcelain) completely consumed me in their journey as they effortlessly danced between comedy and drama, somewhat-amorous encounters and emotional lamentations.
One aspect of their performances that is beyond reproach is their dedication to the intense commitment demanded by comedy. Annabel Reigate maintains high energy that translated into practically non-stop laughter.
Kate Lansdale’s character is the dramatic anchor throughout, as her story allows us to see underneath the comedy so that we may appreciate the struggle they are facing. It is frightening at times to witness the turmoil the characters endured at the hands of their Writer. At times I found myself leaning forward, completely engrossed in the undulating drama playing out before me.
If there is any constructive criticism to add, it is that the pace drops in the second act of the story, creating a lull in attention. However, this is easily remedied and I have no doubt that Sam Essome et al. will have this corrected moving into future performances.
Special mention goes to Thomas Bradley who plays the role of The Narrator. He injects a burst of fresh comedy while driving the plot forward and it is an absolute joy. I guarantee that you will laugh at his appearance but more than that, you will marvel at the sultry tones of his voice.
Overall, a fantastic production by York Dramasoc, who bring a sparkling display of comedy and drama to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is undeniably worth a visit to C Nova to indulge in a tightly-constructed and entertaining script.
