Review: TG present 'Love Song'

SUSU Theatre Group has produced a fantastic piece of drama that really showcases the Performing Arts. I was particularly lucky to make it into the sell-out performance last night, which was extremely well deserved.

As described by the Production Team:

Love Song is an American comedy that tells the story of Beane, an oddball who doesn’t understand the world around him, and his controlling, intern-hating sister; Joan. After Beane is robbed by Molly; an anarchist cat-burglar, Joan arrives to find her brother happier than he has ever been, and attempts to find out who this Molly is and what she has done to her brother.

Sam Dobson (Director) and Jamie Hemingway (Producer) have managed to create a hilarious yet heart-breaking performance- I was brought to tears several times.

They have opted not to use the usual lay out of the Annex Theatre, but to position the audience and performance on the stage in a thrust theatre making it feel very Fringe esque – which suits the play. I really felt like I was in the room with the characters which was a necessity seeing as the play is all about people and relationships.

The cast were unbelievably strong. All four characters were distinct and completely believable. Their American accents were near flawless (I would’ve liked to have heard some regional accents, but it wasn’t really needed).

Oliver Bray, the constant, logical husband played the part extremely well, I would’ve liked to have seen his face a bit more as he was the only member of the cast not to fully commit to performing in the round. However, this did not distract from his performance.

Robin Johnson played the part of a weirdo surprisingly well! I felt such compassion for his character and sometimes did not even notice him on stage, as if he were part of the furniture, which I feel was intended. The sudden change of his character showed off Johnson’s talent as an actor.

However, I believe that the ladies really shone through this production. Anita Thomson as Molly was captivating right from the start. Her stage awareness and presence was extremely evident as she swanned around the stage. Her performance in the final scene was exceptional and as good as any professional actor.

And finally, Caitlin Meredith as Joan, Beane’s sister, was incredible. Her ability to make the text sound like general conversation was very impressive. The beautifully sarcastic character of Joan was really showcased by Meredith. Both girls should be on stage professionally.

If you have a chance over the next three days, make sure you get along to the Annex Theatre and catch this amazing show before it finishes. Click here for more details.