Manchester University Drama Festival In-Fringe 2008
Council Chambers
Aa this production was part of The University of Manchester’s In-Fringe Drama Festival 2008, written, produced and acted by budding dramatists, I felt that as a fellow student, it was important to support these events and give it a good write up.
Unfortunately I struggle to find a positive word to write, as it was hard to follow what was really going on. It felt like I was in one of those lectures - I’m sure we’ve all experienced them - the ones where you find it hard to stay awake, you feel your mind drifting when you know you really should be concentrating.
The first act, called Landscape, consisted of a lady and a man telling two different stories every other line spoken was by the other person, making it exceedingly hard to pull the two apart. The plot was based on relationships, as each actor portrayed what I’m assuming was their significant other. There probably were some really lovely concepts and ideas behind this play but unfortunately I really wouldn’t be able to tell you what they were. The title gives more away about this play then the performance itself.
The second act was considerably better then the first. The storyline was still a bit hit and miss, but the music and singing were very good. Called The Last Five Years, again with two people telling a story, except this time it was the same story. The lady told it backwards and the man told it forwards, then the stories met in the middle.
On the whole I was disappointed, and if it wasn’t for the small orchestra who played exceptionally well throughout it might have been a complete waste of an evening.
3/10
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