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Iron Brew
Verdict: Searing cancer drama
Edinburgh 06 - Gilded Balloon - 2-28 Aug 06 - 13:00 (00:50)
Iron Brew is 50 minutes of cancer drama from a cast of two (2F).
Thirty-ish Trish is angry about her sudden breast cancer. Old school-friend Susie arrives to comfort. But there are secrets to be disclosed, mainly about men.
Themes of the play include: Should people with cancer commit suicide? Is it better to have the pain and potentially horrible side-effects of chemotherapy in exchange for time? What's best to do with a dull relationship? Is dumping your man a long-term solution, or will there be regrets? Can your best friend have him? Who's the father in Susie's pregnancy?
With most people in the West likely to die of cancer, the cancer questions are universal. With most people in the world likely to fall in and out of love, so are the relationship themes. Iron Brew cannily - one of the characters comes from Glasgow and there's a free tin of Scotland's undrinkable national drink on each of the seats - therefore covers two big bases.
Sam Snape writes a couple of unpleasant characters, cleverly debunking the idea that it is necessary to care about at least one person in a drama to go along with it. Neither of these characters is likeable, but their predicament is absorbing, and the topics tackled in the play are immense. Direction is sharp, with some lively wheelchair choreography.
There are some exposition problems. It's not clear from the play exactly where the action is taking place. It turns out afterwards that the programme says it is on a roof. This information is not clear from the play, and is important to understanding the action at several points. There are references to star-counting and flying, but these could be at a closed window or metaphorical. It's not clear at first that the action takes place in Canada, making the frustration of Trish's longing to go home to Glasgow puzzling - she could get on a bus.
It's often said that intense drama and comedy are close. There is no comedy in Iron Brew. It is drama of at times searing intensity. But there are hints that Victoria Johnston and Hayley Rudd (who pair superbly in Iron Brew) could do terrific comedy drama together. And Sam Snape, taking a holiday from the sombre - and univerally important - themes of today's play, could be the man to write it.
Hayley Rudd delivers Susie partly as reactive to Trish's emotional onslaughts, but progressively as the ultimate victor. Susie is a subtly manipulative character, who has taken the aces in quite a slimy way. Hayley Rudd handles the simpering and triumphant aspects of Susie with equal subtlety.
Victoria Johnston is ravishingly pretty and mad as hell as Trish. Her Trish fulminates and manipulates her wheelchair with rage - at herself, her disease, and her feelings about Susie. There's a lot boiling inside Trish, and Victoria Johnston lets it out, while evoking Glaswegian emigré Trish's cauldron of inner anger - and her dreams.
Cast Credits: Victoria Johnston - Trish. Hayley Rudd - Susie.
Company Credits: Writer & Director - Sam Snape. Image Designer - Rebecca Johnston. Technical Operator - Sam Snape. Stage Manager - Hayley Rudd. Producer - Victoria Johnston. Company - Roar Productions (UK) Ltd. Website - www.roarfilms.com. Acknowledgements: Irn-Bru donated by Barr Soft Drinks. Wheelchair donated by Elizabeth Coutts. Funding by Jane Johnston, Douglas Johnston, Janet Stewart.
END
John Park
reviewed Friday 4 August 06 / Gilded Balloon
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2010
