What a fantastic way to spend a lunchtime! Having seen this last week, my husband and I are still talking about it today.
For five pounds, the Oxford Playhouse provided tea and coffee, a sandwich, and the pleasure of spending an hour with a fantastic group of young performers.
The rehearsed readings varied in subject and quality and were all based around the theme 'Holding'. While I enjoyed each performance individually - particularly the tale of the two ladies meeting in a supermarket - the majority of the audience seemed to agree with me (If the howls of laughter were anything to go by!) when I say that Gwylim Scourfield's 'Holding' was the standout performance of the four rehearsed readings.
James Keningale, though only a young actor, seemed to encapsulate everyone who had ever been in the situation of speaking to a call centre operative and getting nowhere! Nicola Buys performance was a little too familiar for comfort as the wife that was trying to be helpful but ended up making it worse, and Sam Richardson had me crying with laughter as the unhelpful call centre worker.
This was a wonderful little performance, and we very much look forward to seeing more Playbites in the future. Long may they continue!
For five pounds, the Oxford Playhouse provided tea and coffee, a sandwich, and the pleasure of spending an hour with a fantastic group of young performers.
The rehearsed readings varied in subject and quality and were all based around the theme 'Holding'. While I enjoyed each performance individually - particularly the tale of the two ladies meeting in a supermarket - the majority of the audience seemed to agree with me (If the howls of laughter were anything to go by!) when I say that Gwylim Scourfield's 'Holding' was the standout performance of the four rehearsed readings.
James Keningale, though only a young actor, seemed to encapsulate everyone who had ever been in the situation of speaking to a call centre operative and getting nowhere! Nicola Buys performance was a little too familiar for comfort as the wife that was trying to be helpful but ended up making it worse, and Sam Richardson had me crying with laughter as the unhelpful call centre worker.
This was a wonderful little performance, and we very much look forward to seeing more Playbites in the future. Long may they continue!