This Year’s Ashes

 This Year’s Ashes is a show that definitely won’t go down in flames. 

 Presented by: Griffin Theatre CompanyVenue: SBW Stables Theatre, Sydney Wednesday 12 October, 2011  This Year’s Ashes is a show that definitely won’t go down in flames.
It is another piece by award winning writer Jane Bodie and it promises for an interesting night out.
Personally, I am in two minds about the show… Described as a “reluctant romantic comedy”, I would agree. It playfully dances the line of drama and comedy – Always a push and pull that sucks you in and just when its about to get really engaging she throws a curve ball, hits you with a one liner joke and breaks the tension. This is a good and a bad thing and depends what you’re in to and what you want from a production…
Ellen, played by Belinda Bromilow, is single, she hates her job, she drinks too much and she sleeps around. Set on the back of a grieving period, she relies on alcohol and men to help her feel something. Her father, played by Tony Llewellyn-Jones comes in out talking about cricket, and slowly you piece the whole thing together. Nathan Lovejoy plays all the men in the show, and his quirky, funny style fitted perfectly in providing the opposite to the drama of the situation that Ellen puts herself in.
They nailed the awkward air of the morning after a one night stand perfect, and when they did connect with each other it all locked into place and it sent ripples through the audience. All the ingredients are there. They just needed to sit into it and embrace it.
When you go, make sure to get there early and go in first if you don’t want to be like me and have to sit on the stairwell. They provided a cushion, though, which was a nice gesture. Some might say it adds to the quirkiness of the theatre – but it didn’t help me connect to the plight of the characters.
Overall the show was good and I believe it will only improve from here. It has all the foundations, it’s just a matter of the actors settling into the show, and after the positive reaction of the audience on opening night, it will no doubt be a quick adjustment from nervous energy to trusting their instincts. I am sure that the show will continue to grow.
Oh, be prepared for a little male nudity. Until 19 November, 2011