Brighton Fringe 2008
Power Lunch
Scorch Theatre
Venue: At the Open House Public House throughout May see the Brighton Fringe Website for show times
Festival: Brighton Fringe
Low Down
A play from Academy Award winning writer Alan Ball.
Review
Anybody who is a fan of the previous efforts of Alan Ball, the screenwriter of the film American Beauty and creator of TV series Six Feet Under, will feel at home watching the sheer intensity of character dissection that occurs in this short play.
The scene is a random meeting of a man and a woman in a restaurant. Both apparently high-powered professionals, they clash, flirt and manage to gradually unravel what makes it each other tick . Accusations and judgements fly across the room as the two take part in a bitter struggle for power. From the moment the characters step on stage, you may think it possible to guess where the supposed ‘power’ of the play’s title resides, but there are certainly surprises in store. Mixing rather serious observations about gender stereotypes in contemporary society with some hilarious fantasy sequences may seem an odd mixture, but it creates a very potent and memorable piece of theatre.
The performances by the two leading actors (Jett Tattersall and Nick Warnford) are excellent, considered and assured; managing to fully convey the dramatic changes in tone the play takes and creating fully-rounded and different characters in a very short space of time. Coupled with two delightfully funny supporting performances, this ensemble of interesting human specimens make for a very enjoyable and thought-provoking meal.
