A darkly comedic exploration into small towns, loneliness and addiction
Sniff written and performed by Gabriel Fogarty-Graveson and Felix Grainger, is a phenomenally dark roller coaster ride of a two hander, exploring a plethora of issues facing young men in society today.
When strangers Liam and Alex meet in the toilet of the Old Swan on a Friday night, what is about to ensue, no body could have predicted. Alex: an ‘advert man’, working in the city. He has it all: the job, the money and a soon-to-be financé – his whole reason for coming to the pub was to propose. All goes askew when he meets Liam.
Liam: he feels like he has missed the boat of life. He never went to Uni and has stayed in his home town being witness to all his best friends as they move up in the world around him, whilst his has remained in the exact same place, with no sense of direction. He’s in the bathroom doing coke.
Sniff is a remarkably well written two hander, which explores how a relationship can form over the course of an evening and stakes can raise when boredom is at the core of your life, and nothing is as it seems.
The writing is dynamic, fast paced and witty, and takes the audience on a windy journey, with a very unexpected twist at the end. The humorous one liners are a very welcome escape from the darkness that ends the piece.
The set is simple: a couple of posters, a mirror, a toilet and a toilet door. The rest the actors bring to life, as they shift into a range of characters in flashback sequences where we meet people from Alex and Liam’s life that exist outwith the bathroom. The performances are entrancing and the connection between the two actors is phenomenal to watch, as they size each other up, find things in common and sing “more than a woman” in perfect synchronicity.
This piece feels very relatable. In an age where we are spending more time disconnected from each other, and are increasingly turning to other means to feel fulfilled: drugs, drink, betting… the list goes on, this piece shines a much needed light on the darkness that is seeping into young adults navigating their lives in this day in age. This is a must see. Catch Sniff at The Hope Theatre all next week, before it’s too late!