So Little Of You Left is a touching play charting the rise and fall of a relationship and what is left behind when it is gone.

Tom (Sean Hart) comperes a poetry reading. He breaks down, followed by a blackout and the start of the main narrative. It's an interesting opening to the play and the action commands attention. Matt (Samuel Collings) is the lover of Tom and their getting to know each other is portrayed as a game of tag. It is a clever and effective idea which successfully portrays the fun and physicality of the early stages of a relationship, but goes on a little too long. And while kissing is an obvious way of showing passion, the overuse of it throughout the play - especially here - weakens its impact. By the umpteenth time the couple kiss it is simply dull to watch. It is a shame that other ways of showing love are not always as fully explored.

Both actors give strong performances, their characters believable as a couple both in and out of love, inviting engagement with the story. The use of sound, and particularly music, is generally well-placed with an eerie soundscape providing an unimposing backdrop for most of the play. Using Superman by Black Lace is an inspired way of showing a couple falling out of sync with each other; but some of the other music choices feel a bit clich้d.

Action really picks up towards the end, as the relationship fell apart, and it is easy to care genuinely for the characters. The desperate struggle between the two men creates tension and is superbly realised by the actors. After this comes another inspired piece of theatre as Tom's devastation is portrayed by the actor running and running in a circle for seven minutes to fervid, violent string music. Days are shown passing by an inventively simple change in light settings. Nevertheless, this scene again goes on too long. It passes the tension's breaking-point and its repetitiveness goes from being its brilliance to its flaw. It could be argued that this lengthy running reflects the impossibly long time it takes to get over a relationship, but there is no excuse for boring.

So Little Of You Left feels like a fine work in progress with real potential. It is clever, though flabby and at times self-indulgent; but its drawbacks are mostly overshadowed by its successes. With tightening, it could easily go from merely good to absolutely great.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Samuel Collings – Matt. Sean Hart – Tom.

Company Credits: Deviser - Ben Webb. Co-Deviser – Simon Carroll Jones. Director - Ben Webb. Lighting Designer - Fergus Waldron. Sound Designer - Fergus Waldron. Technical Operator – Fergus Waldron. Producer - uncredited. Company - Risking Enchantment Theatre. Website - www.riskingenchantment.com. Risking Enchantment Theatre: Artistic Director - Ben Webb. Artistic Associates - Samuel Collings, Simon Jones, Fergus Waldron, Wendy Windle.

END

(c) Matthew Rose 2009

reviewed Thursday 3 November 2009 / Wickham Theatre, Bristol, UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com