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An incredibly engaging story of two very different people facing a struggle which tests their connection to the limit.Summary
Rating
Excellent
Having walked through the pub to reach the theatre, there’s a sense of déjà vu when opening the theatre room door and walking into…a pub. There are the full works: a bar and stools, comfy looking sofa, table and chairs. A few steps further in reveals the usual rows of seats, providing reassurance that no wrong turn was taken and this is indeed the stage for Offroading. Almost the entire show is set in a pub, and director (also writer) Lucy Linger and producer Jessica Zingher have perfectly replicated one, down to decorating the normally blank side doors with signs for the toilets.
In this pub is Steve (Owen Frost) who bring us into the story by directly addressing the audience to explain how he is waiting for Jane, although he is unsure whether she will come. Whilst he waits, he presents a series of flashbacks to explain how they met and the series of highs and lows that led to this situation. Frost is fully engaging throughout these scenes, setting the context for the flashbacks with hindsight knowledge.
We see their first encounter as Jane (Elise Verney) enters Steve’s life with easy confidence, taking the seat next to him at the pub, immediately engaging him in conversation and accepting a drink. Steve soon realises that Jane is not the lady he was waiting to meet for a blind date, to his embarrassment and her amusement. He is amazed that she would choose to start talking with a stranger whilst she is surprised that he would never consider it. Frost and Verney have great chemistry and brilliantly convey the different and changing personalities as their characters complement and clash with each other and they become more familiar. Jane is a carefree adventurer who lives for the now and is full of stories about her travels. Steve struggles to think of anything to tell her beyond his job, realising how empty his life is by comparison. The costuming conveys their natures very well; the serious Steve wears muted colours and has his plain shirt fully buttoned up, whilst the jovial Jane wears brightly coloured patterned dresses.
Linger’s well-crafted script presents two different and engaging halves. The first act is a light comedy as Steve and Jane develop their friendship and later relationship, full of very true to life missteps as they learn to accept each other’s differences. The two believably learn from each other; he enjoys his life more and she better plans hers. There is a sweet moment when Jane dresses herself in dark colours to make a good impression to his friends and Steve reassures her that he’d never expect her to change herself. We see them build themselves up to be happier in themselves and with each other, which is why the second act switch into serious pathos comes as such a gut punch. Some very unwelcome news for Jane necessitates deeper discussions of thought-provoking questions about how best to manage the situation and make decisions which will impact them both, considering to what extent each can and should impact the others future. Frost and Verney masterfully switch up their performance to reflect the heightened stakes and emotions of this stressful and tense situation.
This is a brilliantly engaging story exploring both the ups and downs of sharing a life with someone and adjusting to all that is thrown at you. It is full of well delivered fun and drama for the cast, with laughs and reflections (and maybe tears) for the audience.
Written and directed by: Lucy Linger
Produced by: Jessica Zingher and the Threadbare Theatre Company
Offroading plays at Old Red Lion Theatre until 14 September. Further information and bookings available here.
