Colder Than Here @ King's Arms, Salford, 03.10.14

Colder Than Here, from writer Laura Wade, is the first production from What A Little Bird Told Me Theatre company. It's a tale of a family coming to terms with a problem that modern medical science had made: knowing - roughly - when you're going to die. Diagnosed with cancer and given a life expectancy of 6 to 9 months, Myra (Joyce Branagh) decides she wants to tie up loose ends and set her family up for when she is gone. However, she is the sun around which her family orbits, the one from whom they get much of the light in their lives. How will they cope once she is gone?

The script, Wade's first published work back in 2005, is well structured, never dwelling on a moment longer than necessary, and is full of both mirth and melancholy. Highlights include recurring visits to potential new-age graveyards (which are invariably described with epithets and expletives), and a short powerpoint presentation given by Myra that details possibilities for her funeral (including glitter throwing). Director Alyx Tole has kept everything simple, so the story moves along at a good pace.

The cast and director have achieved the feeling of a real family in their interplay, which is the single most important thing for a play like Colder Than Here. Leo Atkin is good as the grumpy but caring dad Alec; Rachel Creamer and Laura Danielle Sharp (playing sisters Jenna and Harriet) capture the mixture of needle and nurture that so often exists between siblings; finally, Branagh plays the weary and slightly wacky sides of Myra equally well.

Overall the production was strong, working as a cohesive whole. However, fringe theatre at its best usually takes a few risks, which is what makes it so captivating; what perhaps was lacking from this production was a standout element, something to stray from the safety of simplicity. This, though, is a solid first effort, and will give the company confidence and a good platform to build from. It will be interesting to see what they do next.

Words: Andrew Anderson

Images: Phil Benbow

Breathing Corpses @ Victoria Baths, 27.11.13

Laura Wade’s Breathing Corpses, the latest play produced by Fresh Loaf Productions, follows several stories all connected by one commonality: death. For some, death puts life into perspective and offers a new start. For others, it does quite the opposite.

Staged in the dimly lit basement of the labyrinthine Victoria Baths, Breathing Corpses has a non-linear structure that encourages you to ask questions. A man is found dead in a hotel room – what drove him to suicide? A body is uncovered in a lockup – who killed them, and why? Slowly the pieces are put into place but, as with life itself, you’re left to decide exactly what it all means.

One of the most important things to do when staging a play is to create an atmosphere, which Victoria Baths has in spades: the echoing rooms and cold corridors are an ideal setting for a play dealing in death. The watery soundtrack was a perfect aural accompaniment, and added to the magic reality of Wade’s text.

Normally this would be the time to single out specific actors for acclaim (or admonishment), but what struck me was the ensemble’s consistency. No one stood out, but no one was meant to stand out – this was well observed realism. Wade is a master of understated dialogue, and the cast did it justice. The same goes for the directing of Joe Mellow, which was effective, unobtrusive, and coaxed good performances from all involved.

Not your usual fringe affair, it felt like a lot of time and effort (and possibly money) had gone into this production. While this meant it lacked the seat-of-your-pants charm that makes fringe so worthwhile, it did allow for a professional text (Wade has had much critical acclaim over the last decade) to receive the professional treatment it deserved. A great play, well performed in a brilliant location...it will be interesting to see what Fresh Loaf do next.

Words: Andrew Anderson

Photos: Emma Rider