Edinburgh Fringe 2023
Indoor Kids
Hoyne and Roscoe Productions (New York, USA)
Genre: Comedy, New Writing
Venue: C Aquila
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Two young women bounce onstage to deliver their story. It is one which begins as children and then grows through High School, religious observance – one Jewish, the other Episcopalian – before emerging into the wildness of university and protest as newly formed adults.
Review
We have two very bright, bubbly and vivacious characters alongside each other now starting to tell us their tale of friendship. It is a well worn path, much theatrically mined, and here we hear of their progress from 2007 up to date. And right up until now and here, in Edinburgh, in 2023.
The structure of the show is interesting. It does show a closeness between each of our narrators as they interrupt each other, correct the narrative and give each other both support and handy advice if things start to go a little awry.
The script has merit, with interesting detail, though the interlude about the Vietnam War, for those of a certain age, jars. Suggesting that we are leading to a form of climax and A Big Fight is clever and means that we have something which needs to match its build up. Interestingly as we don’t quite get it, we end up with a nice ironic style detail about friendship.
The use of music is a nod to versatility, and this does show we have a cast willing and desiring to widen their appeal.
Overall, it acts as quite a meta piece but needs to just tighten some of the direction. You can see the intention but there are times when both performers seem unaware of where each other is supposed to be or launch into something which can hint at an idea, but not quite have the confidence in its delivery. This is particularly true when correcting each other. Whilst being apologetic to your friend is nice to see, boldness in having the conversation onstage with each giving the stage the respect they clearly have mutually would be good.
Musically, one of the two was suffering a little and it therefore was a little uneven in the delivery which was a pity. I also think the finale would have been helped a bit more with slicker moves and more commitment. It not only felt like something that would be performed at a party, it felt like it was a family party where our intrepid duo had been forced to do “that thing you do.” The material could have done with being sold with more gusto.
The issue with having no set and playing in blacks, is that the whole attention, all the time is on your performance. If there is any likelihood that this will not be totally on point, little errors can show up and sections which are not as well rehearsed or as committed to are more obvious. We can all get away with things when our adrenaline kicks in, but to make a serious play onstage you need that committed confident relationship. You can see it here, but you need to just see it more.
