Review: The Philadelphia and Sure Thing

Theatre in St Andrews has kicked off with a special, short introduction to Mermaids: a David Ives double bill of The Philadelphia and Sure Thing.

The night of shows began with The Philadelphia, directed by Joanna Bowman and performed by three of St Andrews’ acting veterans Taryn O’Connor, Tommy Rowe, and Cara Mahoney. The play was an amusing look at what it is like to be stuck in what O’Connor’s character dubs, a ‘Philadelphia’ – a state in which a person spends their time asking for something but always receiving the opposite. Although brief, the show was carried by what was a strong relationship between all three actors that shone through and made their performances both believable and amusing. Particularly, O’Connor’s representation of what Ives refers to as “California Cool” was captivating and fun to watch throughout. This was a smooth contrast to Rowe, whose physicality convinced the audience that being stuck in a Philadelphia is a genuinely upsetting and agitating experience. Since this is a play that builds, the show began slowly. Had it not been for the energy of Rowe contrasting with the slow drawls of both Mahoney and O’Connor’s characters, the performance could have easily been lethargic and the concept could have become tedious fairly quickly. However, as the play developed, the pace quickened, which added a great sense of comic crescendo that ended the show on a brilliant high.

Following The Philadelphia was an even shorter and faster paced Ives one act, Sure Thing. The play tied the overall theme of alternate realities based within a café. In a lot of ways, Sure Thing is a problematic play, and many have argued over the meaning. The story, based around missed connections and timings of two people that meet in a coffee shop, is a simple concept to grasp, and when done correctly can be incredibly funny. Caterina Giamaressi and Olly Lennard grappled with the piece admirably, keeping the performance light and airy and ultimately creating something well polished and incredibly enjoyable to watch. Director Hannah Risser should be praised for her reading of the piece, choosing to allow Lennard to showcase his uncanny knack for humour and comic timing. He managed to portray, and switch between, countless different personalities as quickly as the ring of the bell. Also, Risser’s decision to alter the play and update its older American cultural references to something newer and more St Andrews appropriate was also a good touch which definitely appeared to strike a chord with the audience.

Overall, as an introduction to Mermaids, both plays cannot be faulted. The back to back performances managed to showcase the talent of both the group of actors and the production team perfectly. Equal parts of humour and thought provocation meant that these performances are not to be missed. With sell out shows on all three nights, Mermaids has been throughouly introduced to the class of 2018.