A gentle, heartwarming glimpse into the lives of several characters who find themselves on Clapham Common over lockdown.
“Uncommon Ground,” written and performed by Alison Skilbeck, debuted at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is a collection of gentle, heartwarming monologues from a diverse array of several loosely linked characters, exploring themes such as love, life, death, hope, creativity, and frustration. Skilbeck wrote the piece during lockdown, drawing inspiration from her daily walks on Clapham Common at the time, the people she met along the way, and the trees who stand there and watch it all unfold. Directed by Gareth Armstrong with music by Simon Slater, the production explores humanity’s desire for nature’s solace, the healing effects of laughter and playfulness, and the enduring strength of love in its various forms.
I wouldn’t say that these are thrilling tales, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, but they were anything but boring. They were relatable, wholesome, and very, very human. The evening felt cosy in the intimate theatre space above the Old Red Lion, with a glass of wine in hand and each story bringing a smile to my face. Skilbeck has done a wonderful job lacing each characters’ stories together, making the audience keen to know how the next character will slot into the small world and what their story will be.
Skilbeck brings each character to life skillfully, subtly adapting her vocality and physicality in an effective way. From overwhelmed, gin-wielding mother to ditsy disoriented Dotty, and young inquisitive Matty to elderly tree enthusiast Doug who faces the prospect of losing his love, each character is distinctly detailed.
The play concludes with a powerful, poetic monologue from the perspective of a tree. While well-written and well-performed, the dramatic shift in tone feels jarring and somewhat out of place amidst the other character-driven pieces. Though compelling, it felt as though it was the ending to a different piece altogether.
You can catch Uncommon Ground at the Old Red Lion until Saturday 25th November. If you seek thrills and drama, it might not be right for you. But for a gentle and heartwarming story on a Saturday evening, it’s a lovely choice.