Cherryade
Supernova
By Andrew
Finnigan
South Shields
Customs House
Until Sunday 6th
June 2021
As part of the Custom’s
House Takeover Festival, Cherryade Supernova is a well crafted debut from a
promising new playwright delivered by a talented young cast that we hope to see
more off in the future.
Okay. The best show of
the year so far? I know – it may be June but it is 448 days since I had the
chance to sit in a theatre and enjoy a show with other people. To hear people
laugh openly in a way that just doesn’t happen on Zoom was wonderful. To hear them react to the
story as it unfolded was blissful. Indeed, to see an actor improvise seamlessly
when it didn’t quite go to plan, unless he expected to consume some of the
silver wrapper with his mint/gum, was a rare pleasure. This first post-lockdown
show was always going to be something special – fortunately it was also worth
seeing in its own right. I hope no one stays away because of the you-know-what
situation. I felt perfectly safe in my socially distanced seat and enjoyed the luxury
of drinks being served before the show to my seat. The only grumble, and it is
a teeny-weeny one, is that my regular coffee wasn’t available so I had to
settle for a Coke.
Hang on… I need to
start reviewing this show. I know.
The story is quite an ambitious one to deliver for the writer Andrew Finnigan as it features a large cast of eight. Yet, in this impressive debut, he manages it. His relative youth working in his favour as each character spoke with an authentic voice. This was not a play written by some middle aged person trying to create / understand how kids speak. The scenario is universal and timeless, even Shakespeare would recognize it, but the delivery was crisp and contemporary. As it started I felt it was potentially a companion piece to Abigail’s Party – i.e: what was happening next door.
So clearly Josie (Chloe
Jane Millar) and Josh (Benjamin Michael Smith) have enjoyed an academically successful
but socially awkward start to their lives. Josie’s mother suggests that they
hold a house party for their friends, though she doesn’t think anyone will turn
up. With quiche, cherryade and leftover Shloer in the fridge and the
possibility of fish fingers as a snack later on, they await their first guest
after Josie has cleaned the house. Josh has invited a lot of people he is in
touch with on social media for the “rave to the grave – it’s going to be epic”.
First arrival is Callum (Kieron Michael), armed with a bag of satsumas and a
phone full of Monkey tunes. He may have had a tough time at school but he plans
to stay tee-total.
In quick succession
Reece (Jack Breedon) arrives at the same time as Lily ((Becky Lindsay), who
Josh fancies and Stevie (Emma Corless) who is full of the self-entitlement that
comes with assuming that you’re alpha in a group. The girls arrive with wine
but expected more booze to be available. Completing the party are Sophie (Lucy Marie
Curry) and Jae (Jackson Watson) who are no longer getting along. Sophie has
just flung Jae’s wallet out of the Metro window and so he lacks the funds to
get any alcohol.
There is a mismatch
between the hosts, who expect everyone to take their shoes off upon arrival and
most of the guests who feel drink is the answer to a party’s problems. Some of
the guests go with the flow better than others and this is the source of both
tension and a number of laughs.
This is definitely a
comedy that doesn’t fall down the rabbit hole of farce.
Director Abigail Lawson
has created a show that flows through the action in just over an hour. There is
an authentic feel to the casts delivery most of the time. This helps the comedy
that Kieron Michael delivers as the charva, who is in his unique space and dimension
compared to the other guests in the show, work well. He has great timing plus
he was able to develop empathy for his character. The cast work well as an ensemble
and as credible individuals. For a group
who are so early on in their careers it was delightful to watch them come
across as their characters rather than as actors pretending to be these various
personalities. That in turn also helped the delivery both of the lighter
moments in the tale and the darker brushes with bullying.
The show was a pay what
you feel performance. So after paying the £2.50 per group booking fee, it is up
to the individual to choose how much to pay at the end by putting it in the
bucket. This is a great idea as it makes theatre accessible to all. One
suggestion for the future is to include a card reader as a part of the options
as not everyone carries cash these days.
If there is any justice
then, just like opening night, this show will have the “house full” sign up
again tomorrow (Sunday) night for the last show. It is a modern and authentic comedy
delivered by a tight cast that I hope to see again soon. The writer too is one
to watch. I couldn’t have wished for a better start to theatre in 2021.
Review by Stephen Oliver.
Tickets:
https://www.customshouse.co.uk/theatre/takeover-cherryade-supernova/
Age recommendation: 14+
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