Theatre / miriam battye
Review: Trip the Light Fantastic
Bursting onto the stage twinkly-eyed, enthusiastic and rattling through lines at 100 miles an hour, Freddie (Adam Farrell) is a whirlwind of youthful exuberance – in stark contrast with pensioner Jack (Roland Oliver) who shuffled onto stage moments before, armed with an Aldi bag of biscuits. Freddie’s self-professed lack of filter between brain and mouth quickly set him on course to clash with the reluctant, quizzical and slightly grumpy senior, with whom he has been matched by their shared teacher to progress his ballroom dancing.
However unlikely this pairing may seem, the pair form a friendship told through rich, entertaining and believable dialogue as they work on the waltz. Freddie tackles Jack’s negativity, rebuking him for being an “arse-clenched, head-scrunched bag full of no”, and learns in the process that learning to dance forms part of Jack’s plan to romance his wife. Jack, for his part, seems stumped by the younger generation as hints of mental health issues emerge in Freddie’s behaviour – but steadily learns the value in loosening that stiff upper lip.
is needed now More than ever
Miriam Battye’s play, staged by Theatre West as part of their annual autumn new writing season, is a tale of intergenerational difference – “your generation and all your feelings,” says Jack, “I’m surprised you get anything done” – set alongside personal and shared issues. Marriage troubles, finding love, happiness, friendship, loneliness and how to deal with the troubles that life presents are tenderly woven into a light dialogue that drew plenty of laughs from the audience. There are shades of Dirty Dancing and Cinderella in the musical interludes that illustrate Jack’s progress, which serve to defuse emotional scenes and avoid any over-serious scripting.
Overall, a heart-warming account gently exposing some under-explored elements of modern men.
Trip the Light Fantastic continues at Bristol Old Vic Basement until Saturday, November 28. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk/lightfantastic.html