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A slick and sparkly story of a young couple kept apart by the personas we hide behind when trying to impress. A great production with zingy performances and a fantastic soundtrack to boot. Summary
Rating
Excellent
Maybe it’s because I live in South London that Finsbury Park feels another country away. This could be why I haven’t visited the Park Theatre until now, as it approaches its tenth birthday next year. It was a rainy night and I arrived completely sodden thanks to the most useless umbrella I’ve ever bought, but was welcomed with a literal smile into the stylish and buzzing venue, which felt like it would be at home in the West End. Reassuring for this North London newbie; so far, so good.
For the next few weeks the Park is presenting evenings of double bills in their Make Mine a Double season. Anything With a Pulse, (which is playing in tandem with Pickle) kicked off this evening andis a real treat. It is slickly put together and effortlessly performed, with comfortingly relatable characters.
A nameless couple meet in a club, turning to us to monologue their thoughts over the music, and swap numbers. The rest would be, as they say, history, if it wasn’t for nervousness over showing each other their true feelings and desires. The harder they try to impress, the further apart they are pushed. Writer Eliana Ostro has crafted a story that shows the vulnerability of young people who want to get to know an authentic other person, and not just a club persona. It all feels slightly familiar; the clichéd dorky, sensitive guy and the goofy girl with bad jokes, but it is made fresh and energetic through some nuanced and funny writing.
The delivery of the story is where the excitement is. The nameless pair, played by Annie Davison and Rufus Love, have instant chemistry that makes their encounter fast-paced and zesty. They land jokes with perfect timing and show sensitivity that feels entirely genuine. If I hadn’t looked them up, I would never have thought they were so early on in their careers, with Davison in particular only just graduating from drama school – bravo, excellent work. They also do a cracking job of portraying their caricature friends in the club, which brings an extra level of humour and laughter.
The two are supported by subtle but very effective lighting from Lighting Designer Laurel Marks which helps us to place the action and gives it real energy. This sits alongside some truly excellent song choices from Sound Designer Temi Olugbenga, with a highlight being The Killers’ ‘Mr Brightside’.
Anything With a Pulse is a really well put together performance all round, full of anticipation, desire and life. It’s a familiar tale well observed and joyfully enacted.
Writer and Director: Eliana Ostro
Assistant Director: Tara Ahmed
Set Design by: Suzanne Emerson
Lighting Design by: Laurel Marks
Sound Design by: Temi Olugbenga
Produced by: Wonky Donkey
Anything With A Pulse plays at Park Theatre until 26 November 2022. It is part of their Make Mine A Double season, playing nightly with Pickle (review here). Tickets can be purchased for single shows, or as a double bill at a discounted price. More information and bookings here.
