Reviews NationalNewcastleReviews Published 22 April 2016

Review: Growth at Northern Stage

Northern Stage ⋄ 21st - 23rd April 2016

“Like an E4 series pancaked into an hour-long episode”: Andrew Latimer reviews the NORTH ensemble’s latest work.

Andrew Latimer
Growth at Northern Stage. Photo: Topher McGrillis.

Growth at Northern Stage. Photo: Topher McGrillis.

Straight off the back of touring Animal Farm, and with only two weeks’ rehearsal time, the NORTH ensemble company volley with Luke Norris’ benign comedy about male health. Commissioned by the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Paines Plough in 2014, Norris’ text scrambles the lives of twentysomethings as central character ‘Tobes’ (Dale Jewitt) finds a lump on his left testicle.

Growth is a smart choice by the creative team, as there’s not an overwhelming amount to work with in the text’s slim pages. It’s like an E4 series pancaked into an hour-long episode: characters in the midst of relinquishing their adolescence by virtue of being somewhat hurt by life’s indiscriminate malice. Though the writing is featherweight and dated – think Skins – it isn’t without moments of forensic wit and an intimate charm that this cast of five pulls off with ease. But these moments are like pebbles in the ocean; Norris’ text doesn’t navigate comedy and drama with enough maturity. The play violently swings between the two in ways that feel too calculated, too overwritten.

The ensemble also hasn’t had enough time to get both hands around their characters – and as a result the dialogue is arrhythmic and still feels in the process of being learned – but there’s definite potential with this group of actors. That’s a tremendously important upshot of this performance: its ability to trigger a professional working relationship between NORTH and director Maria Crocker (herself a NORTH alumna). It’s impressive what Crocker has achieved in two weeks, relying on bass-heavy indie tracks to accelerate scene changes, familiar characters-walking-past-each-other montages, and some sparse staging on an extremely tight budget. In this regard, it’s possible to see the influence of associate director Mark Calvert, too.

Katherine Pierce’s hilarious and convincing performance as both the doctor who examines Tobes and a later love interest is worthy of note. In fairness, all the characters are desperately underwritten – the main character is called ‘Tobes’ for God’s sake – and it’s difficult to see what more the performers could really do with them. More time with each scene would perhaps deepen their relationships and potential to be truly cared for by an audience, but the script may well need overhauling before that can happen.

Growth is on until 23rd April 2016. Click here for tickets.

Advertisement


Andrew Latimer is a contributor to Exeunt Magazine

Review: Growth at Northern Stage Show Info


Directed by Maria Crocker

Written by Luke Norris

Cast includes Dale Jewitt, Craig Fairbairn, Millie Harris, Katherine Pierce and William Wyn Davies.

Advertisement


the
Exeunt
newsletter


Enter your email address below to get an occasional email with Exeunt updates and featured articles.


Advertisement