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Reboot Festival is back at Barons Court Theatre in West London for another year, showcasing 18 new short plays across 3 weeks this September. Each week of the festival a new lineup will premiere, providing audiences with the opportunity to see 6 pieces of new writing. What is wonderful about Reboot is how it offers a creative opportunity to emerging writers from all over the world. Each lineup has been carefully curated to generate a varied viewing experience, none more so than the current schedule, covering subject matters such as androids, alternative dystopian futures, archeological discoveries and more. Whilst some topics are more ambitious than others, the first lineup offers something for most theatrical tastes, creating a varied evening of theatre.
LA 8 AM by Mark Harvey Levine
First up is ‘LA 8 AM’ by Mark Harvey Levine and this bitesize story focuses on relationships, daily routines, order and what happens when life takes a completely unexpected turn. Directed by Emma Wilkinson, it is the shortest of the six plays and whilst it follows an engaging format, the length and narrative limits how much the audience are able to get to know the focal characters Kevin (Adam Gower) and Paige (Emily Brown). The dialogue is driven by two narrators (played by Colette O’Brien and Vincent Marquis), who relay rhythmic, pattern-filled sentences and talk about the couple at the heart of the short story. Subtly emotional in its current form, what it lacks in terms of character development, it makes up for in its even pacing, capitalising on the short running time. In terms of the future, it would be fantastic to see more character exploration beyond the narration, specifically looking at the central figure of Paige.
Michelle and Little Fish by Sarah Baxter
Martha Crow stars as Michelle in Sarah Baxter’s ‘Michelle and Little Fish’, which covers themes of chronic illness, domestic abuse and motherhood. Directed by Namoo Chae Lee, the material highlights what it means to feel trapped in a loveless marriage at what should be a really happy time in life. With dark undertones, the play stands out for how well-rounded it is as a piece of short theatre, largely influenced by Martha’s strong performance as Michelle. The character has many layers which are brought into focus by the performer, who is also careful to balance elements of realism and dark humour in and amongst the complex topics. My only comment would be that in this presentation the lighting changes are quite jarring in places, disrupting the tone of the deeply personal dialogue at times. A softer approach would help unify the overall visuals on stage.
Minor Deviations by Erin Osgood
Androids are the subject of Erin Osgood’s ‘Minor Deviations’ and it is the comedy performances that make the final instalment before the interval stand out. Taking place at a futuristic robot production agency, the three actors Alex Smith, Iulia Pal and Will Tusker are absolutely hilarious in how they approach this madcap script which sees a bereaved father hire an android Nanny to look after his children, following the death of his wife. Admittedly the actual plot is somewhat bizarre and the ending is rushed, but as an audience member you can forgive some of the silliness and the unimaginable twist due to the fun cast dynamics. Director Ivantiy Novak has clearly leaned into the zany themes and encouraged the performers to show their outrageous sides, which makes for a light-hearted and amusing watch.
Hamster Railroad by James Robertson
The inhumane eradication of hamsters is the topic of ‘Hamster Railroad’ by James Robertson, which sees the little creatures being culled in an alternative future which has been overturned by an unnamed virus. It is a tense short play with focused lighting that sees Moya Matthews’ character provide a voice and care for the hamsters. There is lots to like about this piece of theatre directed by Kay Brattan, but I found myself wanting to know more about the origins of the story, as the audience is quite literally thrown in at the deep end in the midst of an animal welfare crisis. In my opinion, this would work better as a slightly longer drama, with a greater amount of context and build up.
Bog Body by Eliza Hallinan
Arguably the most adventurous play of the night is Eliza Hallinan’s ‘Bog Body’, where the audience is transported to the wetland environment for a short tale about archaeological discoveries in a temperamental landscape. Director Luke O’Field has a complex challenge; establishing the setting, introducing the balmy researchers and approaching various genres. There are no doubt some funny moments, facilitated by Lauren Stones and Alex Smith’s discovery-focused characters and some well-timed one-liners, but in its current form it is difficult to work out what this play is trying to be. It is part comedy and an impactful story about heritage and isolation, with the themes sometimes clashing. In my opinion, this wouldn’t be so noticeable as a longer piece of theatre, with a greater duration allowing the tonal shifts to not be so polarising.
The Elephant In The Room by Bethany Dickens Assaf
Bethany Dickens Assaf’s play about female friendships is a delightful way to close out the programme. Looking at a tired and overwhelmed new mother alongside her party-mad, childless friend, this very realistic interpretation of twenty and thirty-something friendships is both relatable and joyous. Paris Hoxton directs this transparent perspective on being at a different stage in your life to your closest friends, highlighting how relationships can withstand changes and how vital it is to have a support network that is there for you no matter what. Thematically, it is certainly the lightest play of the evening and in some ways it feels akin to a scene in a more extensive play about motherhood. That being said, Maya Biskupska and Ericka Posadas’ portrayal of the close “sexy friends” (a name that the characters have coined for themselves) will make this piece stick in your mind at the end of an engaging evening of short plays.
Overall thoughts about the lineup
Once again, Barons Court Theatre has created an exciting evening of new writing. Standouts of the first week of Reboot Festival for me include ‘Michelle and Little Fish’, ‘Minor Deviations’ and ‘The Elephant In The Room’. I very much look forward to hearing how the productions develop. You can catch this lineup at Reboot until Saturday 7th September, before week two starts on Tuesday 10th September. Tickets can be purchased via the theatre’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for Reboot Festival 4 was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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