Presented by Theatre Paradok
Review by Eloise Robertson
Come As You Are is a marvel. A truly dark comedy, it poses the deeply uncomfortable question: how might a family respond when their uncle is discovered to be a paedophile? For doing justice to the gruesomeness of this subject without making moral demands of the audience or denying them the humour of the situation, playwright Rufus Goodman deserves a world of praise.
It is immediately apparent that Goodman has not shied from the important role humour plays in the most intense and disturbing situations. Starting the show on a purely comical note, led by the awkward and bumbling dad Bill (Leo Odgers), immediately endeared us to the family. These early moments watch like a sitcom’s Christmas Special, funnier than any real family but with the instant awkwardness characteristic of most.
As tension grew, the discomfort which had been so funny at the start gained a twisted edge. Daughter Lottie’s (Rachel McLaren) inquisitive and outspoken character, which had at first been only charming, became riskier and more unsettling. This mimicked her mother Katherine’s (Spencer Shaw) trajectory from underlying nervousness into acute distress. For both, the light-heartedness of the start endeared us to their peculiarities, priming us for their heart-wrenching scenes with the aforementioned uncle, Eddie (Goodman).
Moments that felt like harmless, rather random, funny asides at the start – like Liz (Lily Dickie) and Beth’s (Claudia Collins) double pregnancy – were slowly revealed as clever devices to service the emotional gut-punch of the show. The result was that the critical moment of Eddie’s crimes being broadly revealed was satisfyingly and appropriately intense, with the elongated egg timer a particular stroke of genius. It is blatantly clear this script is the result of very careful attention, and it truly pays off.
Brought to life by stellar performances, the central dynamics were portrayed with amazing realism: Katherine’s disappointment in Bill, Lottie’s fascination with Eddie, Bill’s attempt to play all sides, and, particularly, Eddie’s quiet pleading with them all. They held the audience’s attention in the palm of their hands and, in my experience, the moral questions they posed have continued to hold it since.
Goodman has written an incredibly sharp piece, exploring his complex subject with such tact yet retaining a brilliant sense of moral openness. While it was obvious at times this script is not intended for such a small stage and minimal set, director Theodore Casimir-Lambert’s intelligent use of lighting and continuous movement from performers helps to mitigate this. Looking forward, a play this strong deserves a bigger stage and a higher production value to bring out its best; I truly hope Goodman finds the opportunity and means to do this.
Incredibly Sharp Piece
Come As You Are runs Venue 38, Studio at theSpaceTriplex at 18:05
Running time – Sixty minutes
Review by Eloise Robertson (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Eloise is studying her fourth year of a Philosophy degree at University of Edinburgh, but she spends far too much time costuming student shows and writing opinion pieces for The Student. Since returning from her year abroad in Australia, she’s worked Bedlam Fringe and thrown herself back into Footlights and EUSOG by costuming both their main term shows. At the same time, she’s increasingly found her true passion in writing, and will begin her Master’s in International/Human Rights Journalism next September.
Eloise is a lover of all things camp and comedic, so she’s super excited to review stand-up, clowning, drag, musical theatre, and much more! At the same time, she’s a literature nerd who loves to see a reimagining of a traditional, emotive piece; whether it’s a one man Vanya or unicycling Bottom.
