SOON (Greenwich Theatre)****

 

By Tommy

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7rVv-LjlkM

Available until: Unknown

This is an absolutely charming play about a young lady who is trying to persuade her baby that now really would be a good time to go to sleep. I remember those late nights well and I had double the fun, with twins! They both seemed to have the ability to sleep through their twin’s crying, but the moment of their falling back asleep again, although completely silent to my insensitive ears, was somehow exceptionally noisy to the other twin and so often resulted in their distressed awakening.

But returning to the subject of the review, I enjoyed this play very much. It was written by Steve McMahon for Greenwich Theatre’s Short Play Submission Sunday and directed by James Haddrell. The mother, casting around desperately for a new way of convincing her child to sleep, tells the story of an heirloom which has been passed down through the family and was the indirect means of bringing two people together. The mother tells the story simply and affectionately and also with a sense of drama so we, too, are riveted by the story which is clearly so important to the mother.

Steve McMahon writes this very well. He has a difficult task in that the story the lady tells has to sound as though it is being told to a baby, yet is also needs to hold the attention of watching adults and I believe he judged this perfectly. The story has a simplicity but is filled with affection. Serin Ibrahim’s performance is animated for the sake of the baby, but also sincere; not in the least overdone.

The presentation of the baby is also very well done. I think that (if indeed a real baby was present) cutting to show the baby’s reaction would have caused what I believe is colloquially known as ‘cuteness overload’ and would lead the audience to be more focused on the baby than the story which is being told. Mr Haddrell’s direction keeps the focus on the mother, with just enough of the cot visible for it to be recognisable. Ms Ibrahim interacts beautifully with the baby, helping us to believe in the baby’s presence and imagine her as a character.

It is a beautiful story about love, humanity, and the feeling that life does go on and that being stuck in one moment isn’t necessarily entirely bad. At this time, perhaps we all need reminding of that.