SIX OF THE BEST: Cahoots Theatre
Old Joint Stock, Birmingham, 7 July 2012-07-12

Review: Alexander Ray

SIX OF THE BEST is a mixed bag of six short plays put together by Cahoots Theatre and presented in Leicester and Birmingham.

It’s a good way to spend a couple of hours; six very different plays in different styles. Plenty of thoughts provoked and stuff to talk about. What more could you want?

DUSA (Judy Upton) an intriguing take on an old story has a funny and dark sting in its tail. THE LEPRECHAUN DIARIES, a broad comic take on ‘begorra’ Irishness is written and performed by Claire Gogan. IN TWO MINDS is perhaps the darkest of the bunch; it deals with mental health, and reality and illusion – written by Tim Harries.

WOULD LIKE TO MEET (Hayley Davies) is a darkly comedic look at dating from a woman’s point of view, while Fletcher and Forrester offer a manic look at a desperate graduate job-seeker. Jenny Morton Potts offers the greatest depth in a glimpse into the relationship of long-time lesbian couple.

It’s increasingly difficult for writers who don’t naturally fall into Arts Council targeted slots to get their work performed. Although these are short plays, and one longs for a greater range of new full-length writing to be offered across the board in our UK theatre scene, Cahoots, The Old Joint Stock and others are to be much commended for enabling what they can.

2012-07-12 10:46:39