Showcase 2013 opens with a humorous but moving piece written by Sam Dobson, subtly exploring dense themes such as age, time and memory, making brilliant use of a spinning bike-tyre to create a thought-provoking but fast-paced performance. The next piece was a witty number satirising office politics, written by Alexander Curtis, whose style reminded me of award winning Nick Payne. The production was really brought alive by Annie Partridge and Stewart Semple’s direction (too good to be their debut, surely?), whose minimal set design was complimented with clever staging to deliver a really rounded piece.
The tone of Showcase 2013 became more sombre, with interesting speculations on intimate relationships tainted by everything from simple miscommunication to the devastating effects of war. The writers Glynnis Morgan and Sophie Owers showed promise in the ambitious stories they told, and I look forward to seeing more of their work in the future. Dan Tovey’s ‘Three Kinds of Silence’ was superbly directed by Dan Barr, displaying influences of perhaps Beckett and other classic directorial playwrights.
‘Onesie’ by Chris Foxwell was a highly relatable foray into the world of lazily ambitious students applying for graduate jobs, delicately poking fun at the competitive economic climate we all love to hate. The sensitive characterisation made this piece personable. The best acting though, I think, was from Joe Buckingham’s light-hearted comedy with the two actresses, captivating the audience despite the perhaps the over elaborate set design.
The finale of the production ‘Blind Justice’, written by Chris Dibsdall, typifies the brilliance of Theatre Group. The slapstick comedy was brimming with confidence and so it should be: the acting and accents were faultless, with impeccable staging bringing out subtleties in the writing.
Heartwarming, poignant, and hilarious. TG’s contribution to creativity as a whole is one that will make you feel proud to be part of the Southampton student body. The entire production was lively and well-presented and clearly appreciated by the audience. The 8 short plays, written and directed by our very own students, made for a thoroughly enjoyable and fun-packed 2 hours. I couldn’t have loved this piece more and I’m sure you’ll love it too.
Running at 7:30pm at the The Annex Theatre until Saturday night. If you’d like to see some great talent, then this is definitely the place to be.
