By Louise
Link: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/thornhill-theatre/audio-fringe-ttsfringe2-IgbFPcUSyOZ
Available until: Unknown
Emerging Voices is a collection of eight short plays by students from the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, presented by Thornhill Theatre Space as part of #TTSFringe2. The plays were written when the students were in the 10th-12th grades. If you’re in England or Wales, that’s Years 11-13 and if you’re in Scotland, that’s S4-S6. I’m in Year 10 and it is amazing to think some of these writers are only one year older than me, but they are already able to write really mature plays.
The plays are directed by Ariella Wolfe and she has really helped to ensure the plays come over as clearly as possible in the audio format, which is really important, especially as the stage directions suggest the plays were written to be staged. A Narrator is used sometimes and the stage directions are always useful and necessary.
There are six actors in these plays, playing multiple roles and they all have moments to shine. I haven’t seen the character names written down so I might have spelled them wrong.
The first play is Valentine’s Day is Overrated by Hana Rudoff. A man and a woman meet in a situation that seems to be perfectly simple – one is working and one is their customer. The kinds of people who get into conversation every day. But as the two get talking, they realise they have more in common than they thought. This play is full of twists and turns and I never knew what was going to happen next, the playwright surprised me every time. Edward Hong and Jasmine Washington have powerful chemistry as Mike and Nya.
The Last Dinner by Karen Ear is about two couples who are eating in a restaurant together. They haven’t seen each other and the two women haven’t even talked properly for a while. At first everything seems normal but then we start to get hints that something is very wrong in one of the relationships. I really like the two couples in this play and the way they both work as a team. Pilar Gonzales is touchingly vulnerable as Lucy and there’s something so calming and comforting about Stephanie Fields’ Evelyn.
Chekhov’s Gun by Colten Hitchcock is about another couple. All they want to do is to buy a present for someone, but the shop employee just doesn’t seem to understand what they want. There is quite a lot the couple doesn’t understand either. It’s like the more the playwright writes, the more layers are peeled back taking you deeper and deeper into the story. I wasn’t expecting the ending at all. Scott Shwerdtfeger is worrying in the best possible way as the Clerk and John Cody Fasano is entertaining in a dual role.
Unknown by Lucia Pachynski-Hoopes is about a woman who really wants help. She has sought help from someone you’d expect to be able to help her, but it’s a really difficult thing to talk about. The playwright makes the main character really vulnerable and likeable so you care for her right from the start and you’re invested in her story. Jasmine Washington is really brilliant as Martha.
The Exit by Philip Wong is set in McDonalds. Someone is serving, some customers come in to buy food. It all seems very normal… at first. The playwright creates a sense that something else is happening, with only the smallest clues, but they really make you want to keep listening to find out exactly what’s going on. Again, Jasmine Washington really stands out, this time playing Anya while Edward Hong has a dangerous edge as Esteban.
Reunited by Itohan Ediae is about a woman who has planned a reunion between two people. One of them wants the reunion but they’re really not sure how the other person will feel. The playwright does a really good job at helping us to see everyone’s points of view. John Cody Fassano, Stephanie Fields and Pilar Gonzalez make Robert, Rebecca and Maya really likeable.
Awake by Sally Meek is about a chance encounter by the side of the road. The two characters don’t immediately hit it off, but there is a strong connection between them and the playwright has written a really emotional ending which I really love. Scott Schwerdtfeger and Pilar Gonzales relate so beautifully as Phil and Alanna.
It Might Be Time by Lan Lan Honda-Rottler is about a group of people who meet. They’re not completely sure where they are, why they’re there or who everyone is. The playwright ensures we’re interested in these characters and that we really want to know what’s going on. Jasmine Washington, Pilar Gonzalez and Stephanie Fields ensure we don’t get the characters confused.
Emerging Voices is a series of very
interesting plays by some really promising writers.
No comments:
Post a Comment