Skip to main content

Flash Festival 2018: Eight Pounds Sixty by TaBoo Productions at Hazelrigg House, Northampton

Eight Pounds Sixty from TaBoo Productions is over almost before you get the chance to settle. At 20 minutes roughly, it is the shortest Flash that I have ever seen, however, during that time, it makes a tremendous impact, and perhaps more would have been too much to take.

Solo performer Naomi Ell presents two people, both, it turns out, with a common health link, mental illness. As is sadly often the case, both first present as being well hidden by the individual.

The first Annie, in her twenties, is full of success, her own flat and a job that she mostly appears to like, but has pleasure in relaying the quirks of her colleagues as she clears up her "floordrobe". It quickly becomes clear that there are issues there, she is seeing a counsellor, and although she presents to us the fact that she likes doing so, we all know deep down, seeing a counsellor isn't really a leisure pursuit. She is taking drugs to help her problem and has to mine through a ridiculous NHS system, which includes a survey that is one that fits all, when she, and we know, that is never going to work. We are indeed, all different.

The second character, we are also introduced to, also in a veil of optimism, following a quick change, is Rosie, and she is quickly exchanging light conversation in a jovial manner with a man on the front row, although occasionally distracted by thoughts of her pets. It quickly, as expected, spirals, here at the reading of a piece of paper, referencing Mum and Dad, and we find that life for Rosie, is, well, you get the picture.

Solo shows must surely be one of the greatest challenges at Flash, going it alone, however, they must also be one of the most freeing. You have sole control over the content, and Ell clearly feels for this material, and she is immense in the two roles throughout. The emotional impact is enormous from this piece, the audience found it extremely challenging to deal with around me, and that is a credit to Ell, and the piece she has created.

My only gripe, which is perhaps a bit weird, is that the set was a little too prepared for us the audience. The desk, in particular, was just simply too staged for us the audience, not natural, tablet boxes presented deliberately towards us, booze bottle clearly placed, and even the discarded takeaway box was lovingly "presented". It just for me, took the natural impact of home away for me.

However, that minor gripe aside, Eight Pounds Sixty was performed with true emotion and dedication, it might be the shortest Flash I have watched, but it was still one of the best solo ones that I have seen.

Performance viewed: Tuesday 24th April 2018

The Flash Festival 2018 ran between Monday 23rd and Friday 27th April 2018 at three venues across the town.
Photo: Looking Glass Theatre
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Review of Friends - The Musical Parody at Milton Keynes Theatre

The One Where 2026 starts in a world of confusion. And so, 2026 is upon us and for my first trip to the theatre this year, one of my most significant reviewing challenges was to occur. Touring to Milton Keynes Theatre is Friends - The Musical Parody , based, unsurprisingly, on that little American show that ran to a few audience members for ten years. However, I confess that I was not, and have never been in that audience, never having seen a single episode of the show. However, always up for a review challenge and doing my due diligence by having a Friends superfan as my plus one, I headed to Milton Keynes with anticipation. For those unfamiliar with the show, I could say I can’t help; however, a quick review of some of the information you might need (thanks, Google and my plus one). Running for ten years between 1994 and 2004 with 236 episodes (quiz question, you are welcome), the main characters consisted of Phoebe (ditzy, writer of sad songs), Monica (in possession of an unfeasibly...
Read more

Review of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at Milton Keynes Theatre

Music artist Tina Turner was a staple of the music network for a remarkable time, active as an artist for eight decades; her work is, or at the very least should be, familiar to every generation. Therefore, it was little surprise that in 2018, a stage musical of her work and life arrived upon the stage. You could say that for such an artist, it actually took longer than it should have to appear. Now, as part of its first UK & Ireland tour, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical , it arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre for a two-week run. So, the question is, is it worthy of the legendary artist? For those unfamiliar with any part of Tina Turner's life, the content of this stage musical telling her life story might be a surprise to an audience that grew up just listening to her music. It is an early commendation of the show that the show does not shy away from the themes of domestic abuse, racism and parental abandonment that Turner suffered through her life. With all that rich and startlin...
Read more

Review of Of Mice and Men at The Playhouse Theatre Northampton

John Steinbeck’s classic novella Of Mice and Men has been a staple of many young people's education, and it is relatively common in curricula; as such, it is a popular choice for theatre groups, both professional and amateur, to bring to the stage. Therefore, this week, The Playhouse Theatre Northampton has brought its own version to the stage at Christ Church Hall as its latest offering. So, after close to ninety years since the first publication, is this still worth a trip to the theatre? For those unfamiliar with the story, published in 1937, Steinbeck’s tale, here adapted for the stage by the author, chronicles a moment in the lives of George Milton and Lennie Small, an unlikely pair of migrant workers, as they move from ranch to ranch. Constantly moving due to the mentally unstable Lennies' constant leaning towards doing something bad, they find themselves at a new farm where they hope to make the coin to pursue the dream of their own piece of land. However, as always for...
Read more