An emotional subject portrayed well, but the main relationship lacked chemistry.
It is difficult to tackle subjects such as post-natal depression in theatre and I applaud Tashi Gore and Andrew Panton for tackling the challenge. The show was based on the music of Kyle Falconer, using lyrics to portray the turbulent relationship of Jessie and Lana played by John McLarnon and Anna Russell-Martin. Whilst the songs conveyed strong emotions, I struggled with the storyline having a poor set up and lacking the context which is needed for a heavy subject.
The stage was set up like a concert with amps and crates dotted around. The accompanist and musical producer of the play, Gavin Whitworth, sat at the back of the stage, and whilst his character was cleverly referred to throughout the show, he had no lines, in keeping with the idea that everyone has a soundtrack to life. At times, the characters moved the scenery around, however, I felt this could have been done with more obvious purpose as it was unclear whether this was done to portray emotions or changes in scene or setting and it therefore felt a bit random.
I struggled to engage with this storyline without context at the start of the show, I felt that it rushed into the couple having a baby without giving the audience time to engage with the characters as a couple or buy in to their relationship. Without getting to know the characters before diving into the main theme of the plot, it was hard to empathise with their emotions.
I also felt that the chemistry and relationship between the two characters was lacking. I was left wondering if the baby had been born from a one-night stand, or as part of a long-term relationship, and was none the wiser by the end of the play, despite the script saying they were “soulmates”. For such an emotive topic, the relationship between the two characters should have been integral and between the scripting and the interaction of the actors, it didn’t have the required gravitas.
On the positive side, there were clever, subtle elements to the show that I appreciated, for example both characters held microphones throughout the show, and spoke into them to reflect their inner voices. The intertwining of the songs with the storyline also worked well. Sometimes shows that incorporate existing music can appear stilted however the songs were welcome transitions. Both Anna Russell-Martin and John McLarnon had incredibly impressive voices and tackled the challenging melodies well. Their duets and harmonies were particularly well sung, and it was here that more emotion came through than in the spoken part of the script.
The rawness of Lana’s journey through post-natal depression was important to show and heartbreaking to see and Anna Russell-Martin did a great job of bringing out the pain. A particular moment that I appreciated was a song that she sung in darkness with just a spotlight where she encapsulated the heartbreaking emotions she was going through. The power of her voice shone through in this moment and helped to develop the narrative.
Whilst the show took the audience on a journey of emotional turmoil with sensitivity, it did end on a happy note, showing the light at the end of the tunnel in what is, for many, an incredibly difficult and sad experience.