One Million Tiny Plays About Britain, Jermyn Street Theatre - ★★★ - Until January 11, 2020


Everyone and everything has a story. This series of vignettes gives us glimpses into the lives of various people at apparently random but revelatory moments that are all unique and all interesting: the elderly lady being interviewed by her care worker, the father talking to his daughter who fears CCTV cameras, the couple who are breaking up in a restaurant. It sometimes seems like the equivalent of Time Out's column which records quirky remarks overheard on the tube. We get a moment that gives us insight but usually leaves us wanting more. In the end, it seemed a bit like the theatrical equivalent of a cocktail party where we had overindulged in the canapés. One was left full but not satisfied: there was no main course. Any sense of fulfillment ultimately came from the appreciation of Emma Barclay's and Alec Nicholls' acting skills. Both were quite amazing in their ability to take on and build characters in the blinking of an eye. They slipped through age, gender and accent with remarkable facility and they were always credible. It was a delight to watch. The bingo game after the interval probably provided the cast with a bit of a breather but it seemed to break the flow of the evening for no apparent purpose, except perhaps to offer a nod to panto and the season. For a charming evening which offers the opportunity to meet some thoroughly interesting characters while admiring a bravura pair of performances this is the ticket.

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆ 

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 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until January 11, 2020
Mon - Sat: 7:30 pm, Tue & Sat: 3:30 pm
Jermyn Street Theatre
Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus
https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/show/one-million-tiny-plays-about-britain/
Map & Location: 16B Jermyn St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6ST, UK

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