Modern Love is Not a Dream
★★★★☆ A Dream
theSpace on The Mile (Venue 39): Sun 4 – Sat 24 Aug 2024
Review by Hugh Simpson
The clash of modern media with age-old themes is explored in Modern Love is Not a Dream by Laura Turner, presented by Looking Glass Theatre and New Celts at theSpace on the Mile. An intriguingly structured play, it is given a considered staging and features a first-rate ensemble.
PHD student Liv is encouraged by her supervisor to flesh out her thesis (on how modern dating technology reflects older archetypes) with more practical and personal experience. Navigating the murky waters of modern love and the patriarchy, however, means that she has to confront her past as well as her present.
Shaarai Spriggs and George Cooperwaite. Pic: Iain Davie
What sounds like a desperately dry and dark affair (and certainly has worrying moments) actually often bounces along with hints of a romcom. Possibly too much so at times, which is the only real criticism that can be levelled at what is an extremely impressive piece of writing, which cleverly sidesteps cliché and credits its audience with intelligence.
Different times, places and planes of reality are mixed with extraordinary skill in a production that has a rare coherence. This is aided greatly by director Mark Thomson. Plays with such a parade of short scenes and resetting of furniture can never have proceeded more smoothly than this.
simply tremendous
Thomson also deserves credit for the performances of the ensemble; but obviously the fact that they are so convincingly realised is also down to the performers themselves, who genuinely believe in their characters and communicate this to the audience.
Shaarai Spriggs is simply tremendous as Liv, a complex figure who is by turns vulnerable and unapproachable, comic and tragic.
Peter Morrison is equally good in a variety of roles. Notably strong in the difficult business of reacting to others, he also manages a difficult switch in the way that the audience perceives one of his characters quite brilliantly.
Shaarai Spriggs and George Cooperwaite with Peter Morrison. Pic: Iain Davie
George Cooperwaite suffers a little in comparison, mainly because some of his many ‘problematic date’ characters are a little more stereotyped, but he still acquits himself well.
Associate director Jessie Syme handles the technical side of the production –Thomson’s sound design and Iain Davie’s lighting – with skill, contributing to an extremely polished whole.
This is a production which comes close to 5-star territory but for a couple of moments. After we are blindsided earlier by a couple of things we don’t see coming but in retrospect are beautifully signposted, the ending is perhaps on the weak side. Nevertheless, this is an extremely fine production which reflects very well on all concerned.
Running time: One hour and 10 minutes (no interval)
theSpace on the Mile (Space 3), 80 High St, EH1 1TH (Venue 39)
Sunday 4 – Saturday 24 August 2024
Even dates only: 1.40pm
Details and tickets at: Book here
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Shaarai Spriggs. Pic: Iain Davie
ENDS
