Secrets, lies and intrigue…
As soon as we enter the space, we can tell there is tension. Two women are sitting at a table, not engaging, waiting to tell their stories. And when they start, we are drawn in immediately.
The Approach is a play by Mark O’Rowe involving three women who meet in pairs over a number of years, but never collectively. They make small talk, they explore their past together and push each other, causing reflection, moving the plot forward. As we listen in, important facts about their lives and history are dropped for us to catch, revealing deeply held beliefs, unresolved turmoil and bitterness. Are they friends? They clearly were once, before everything happened, but now they meet irregularly, often by chance. As they cajole each other, in the way only people who know and care for each other really can, nothing is left off the table.
Performed in Irish accents, the play has great pace and warmth. We were particularly impressed by the interplay between the characters, the over-talking, the silences, the interruptions, all of which felt natural and authentic. The wonderful studio space of the New Venture leaves nowhere to hide and the three performers (Charly Sommers, Amantha Ferree and Sophie Dearlove) each embodied their personalities to the full, caught up in the moment, so that we could respond with our full attention.
This is a play in which story telling is paramount, although we hear different versions of the same event and the truth is left for us to interpret. There are awkward moments between the characters, things left unsaid, eye rolls that communicate volumes. It leaves us with a deep interest in what caused the issues, a thirst for their next instalment and a hope they will find some respite from the baggage they are carrying around. A most enjoyable and thought provoking evening.
To find out more and see what else is on at this wonderful local venue, visit the website: https://newventure.org.uk
Peter Allinson
Brighton & Hove News
