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Mokitagrit Productions Pages: The Promised Land
Written by Alex Constantine, Rachel Welch, Ali Muriel and Hanna Patterson
Directed by Hannah Eidinow and Emily Agnew
Union Theatre
October - 7 November 2009
A review by James Fritz for EXTRA! EXTRA!
Fifteen actors, four writers, three directors and two composers join forces to create Pages: The Promised Land, the latest venture of this kind from Mokitagrit Productions. The evening is comprised of four entirely separate twenty-minute plays book-ended with original musical numbers and an ongoing monologue that makes a vague attempt to link the plot strands. The result is an enjoyable but patchy two hours of new writing performed by a talented ensemble. The first play concerns Ian, a timid number-cruncher working for a nameless, Orwellian company who, after being repeatedly bothered by the taunts of his macho colleague and sexually charged superior, eventually discovers the shocking true purpose of his job. The story itself is slight, but the characters here are well crafted and are each afforded their fair share of intelligent and entertaining wordplay. The segment is also littered with some nice visual touches, from the system of tubes that deliver Ian’s endless supply of figures to the amusing reveal of some fetching ‘I heart beer’ socks worn by his loutish colleague Graham. The second sees sardonic northerner Poppy take her heartbroken best friend to the seaside as an escape and there encounter gay couple Tom and Lucas. Several sexual misunderstandings ensue, and naturally everyone ends up learning a little more about themselves. An awkward and unimaginative storyline is almost saved by a few choice lines and strong performances from Katie Lavellie as Poppy and Nicholas Osmand as Lucas. Sadly any play that features a scene where the flamboyant gay man ‘makes over’ the ugly-but-pretty-really ginger girl alongside not one but two botched teen suicide attempts would have to work a lot harder than this one does to avoid comparisons with a GCSE drama piece. The third features a wholly entertaining turn from Joanna Woodward as Kimberley Wright, a fading reality TV star confined to a hospital wing with kidney failure. Drawing explicit comparisons with the recent death of Jade Goody, there are certainly some interesting ideas displayed here as the fame craving Kimberley declines a transplant, fearing recovery will make her less marketable to the tabloids. Unfortunately this is a script that can’t decide what it is trying to be, flitting from black comedy to serious family drama and back again, and consequently the ludicrous climax where Kimberley’s bloodstained brother bursts in to deliver a lengthy speech mere seconds after having his kidney removed is neither funny nor moving, but merely bizarre. The final (and strongest) piece features a young banker and his steely wife as they decide how to best to deal with the stroke suffered by his father – and CEO. Putting a nice twist on the financial crisis, the play features engaging and believable performances from each of the cast - there is particular strong work from James Rigby as a nonchalant nurse - as well as the most authentic dialogue heard all evening. Despite the lack of a firm dramatic conclusion one is left with the feeling that there is potential here for a longer, more satisfying play. The musical interludes that puncture the plays are thoroughly enjoyable, with one or two of Joe Fredericks’ catchy compositions in particular shining in the hands of the talented chorus. If you can ignore an over reliance on cheesy and vacuous lyrics there is much to be enjoyed here. Ultimately however, despite being tightly directed and earnestly performed, Pages: The Promised Land ends up a highly disjointed affair. There is no discernible theme connecting either the plays or their musical accompaniments - despite concerted efforts to convince us otherwise – and one soon comes to realise that this is more showcase than show. Not necessarily a crime, particularly when the plentiful cast is as gifted and enthusiastic as they are here, but a theatregoer expecting any hint of satisfying conclusion or groundbreaking new writing will go home sorely disappointed.
Box Office: 020 7261 9876 Union Theatre
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