Scenes from a Friendship at Nottingham Playhouse: “Gorgeously intimate” — review
The show is set in Long Eaton and features local talent
Our city has a really great habit of producing original, exciting shows – and Scenes from a Friendship at Nottingham Playhouse is the latest one.
I went down to the press night to review the show, staying throughout (no interval!) and watching it in the Neville Studio.
If you’re looking for May events and June events, Scenes from a Friendship is playing until June 12 (tickets from £18, nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk). For more reviews and guides like these, subscribe to The Notts Edit.
Scenes from a Friendship at Nottingham Playhouse review
★★★★
By Eve Smallman
Photos by Pamela Raith
Many great writers and playwrights have come from Nottingham – and Jane Upton is one of them. Her previous work (the) Woman was shortlisted for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting and had a run at London’s Park Theatre – so it was exciting to see what she’d do next. Her answer? A play set in Long Eaton, following the friendship of Jess and Billy as their high school friendship carries throughout the years after.
The concept sounds simple – and from entering the theatre, you might be initially fooled into thinking so. The set, designed by Abby Clarke, is filled with white-style IKEA furniture, with camera film on the wall and Polaroids on the floor. However, these are all layered slightly askew to create a blank canvas playground for clever movement and props – and when the stage is lit, it becomes incredibly versatile. I really enjoyed watching how it was used throughout. It also means there’s no hiding on stage – everything is laid bare.
This is a two-person play, running for an hour and 35 minutes currently – a length that works incredibly well. Nottingham’s own Katie Redford (Not Going Out, Casualty, Outlander) plays the enthusiastic Jess, while the enthusiastic yet guarded Billy is played by Benedict Salter (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol). They perfectly matched each other throughout the show, with an easy chemistry that was wonderful to follow.
Because of this infectious energy, I did find myself wanting to know more about the characters’ friendship during the show. There were a couple of big time jumps (the one by the stag do springs to mind) that I found slightly jarring. I also wanted to know how they actually met, even just if mentioned in passing. However, this could also have all been just me wanting more context because I was invested in the story.
That being said, I thought the writing and flow of the show throughout was excellent. There was a strong wave of ebbs and flows, with a mix of emotive and funny moments. It started sharply, with a mobile phone ringing, and kept its sharpness throughout. The show moves between high school dramas to adult problems with rising intensity really beautifully, both written and portrayed. Plus, I was pleased that it wasn’t a “will they, won’t they” – no cliché tropes here.
This is playing in the Neville Studio, which is a smaller stage than the main one at Nottingham Playhouse. I’m not sure if it would work quite so well on a bigger scale, as it felt gorgeously intimate being close to the characters during what is an intimate story of friendship.
While it may not change your views on anything or leave you thinking hard, if you’re looking for a show that will grip your attention and emotions throughout, all without being too long, Scenes from a Friendship is certainly worth a watch. It’s fun, fresh, and full of feeling.
Scenes from a Friendship is playing at Nottingham Playhouse until June 12 (nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk).
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