Brighton Fringe 2007
Low Down
Cookery demonstrations, hysteria, and lectures on the demise of London Transport are all in a day’s work for Clare Attwood, child psychologist, in this thought-provoking comedy by Stephen Poliakoff.
Review
We see Clare (Bea Guard) struggle to balance her personal conduct with her professional code as the lives of her clients and their families unfold. Simply and effectively staged, this challenging ensemble piece from Sussex University Drama Society explores some substantial themes.
The young, hardworking company aimed to bring a fresh perspective to the piece, first performed in 1996; this was largely achieved, with engaging performances from Guard, and Olivia Rose as Mrs. Trevel, whose emotionalism contrasted well with Clare’s attempts to stay detached.
Another highlight was Chris Harrison as Mr. Bolton whose nostalgia for “Classic Confectionery” was poignantly masking his real concern for his son’s future in a fast-changing world.
The voices of the children were heard via Clare and her recordings of therapy sessions.
The impotence of well-meaning adults when faced with the unfamiliar problems of the upcoming generation was generally well captured.
