Some Big Some Bang is beautifully written and a fantastic, brave concept.
Gabrielle Sheppard plays the mother soon-to-be and has moments of beautifully moving work. There are also times when she feels disconnected,, which is a shame – she obviously has potential but this is often left unfulfilled.
Livia Rita is the star of the show. Her work is consistently strong, connected and she has some gold dust to work with script-wise, which she delivers perfectly. Her strong, sexual character adds a lot to the production in furthering the story, and in her humour. She is a great juxtaposition to Chadwick’s nerdy Will. Rita adds punch to the production with her strong stage presence.
Russell Chadwick does mixed work. At times he is very funny, engaged and a pleasure to watch. Sometimes he loses connection, though, which is a shame as he is obviously talented. He is well suited to the role but only when he is doing his best work.
The play is told with a splash of physical theatre, though this feels like not quite enough – we want a little more or none at all, as it feels out of place at present. Other than this the direction is strong and the pace good. There is great use of lighting and sound and the dance scenes are exceptional – very humorously done and exactly what was needed to aid the storytelling. Some Big Some Bang is beautifully written and a fantastic, brave concept. It would be great to see it with some different acting choices.
