Review: Time and Time Again, The Space

Time and Time Again consists of a series of vignettes, creating a compelling yet incomplete portrait of the friendship between Zoe (Stephanie Renae Lau) and Becca (YY Yong). The pair meet as children and go through first loves, heartbreak, grief, marriage, pandemic, protests, unemployment, familial pressures and more as they grow up, with Zoe leaving their native Hong Kong to study in the UK and Becca remaining, working until she gets into dance school. In the present day, Becca is getting married. Although the two have drifted apart, she wants Zoe to be her bridesmaid.

The play begins with a brief monologue about the limited amount of time Becca feels she has left to spend with her family. It’s a sentiment shared many times before, but the concept remains potent; a disheartening reminder of how our day-to-day lives slip away from us, and that we never have as much time as we think — or want. The use of this idea as an introduction to the narrative doesn’t quite fit, though; the focus is firmly on family here, yet the play itself is overwhelmingly a tale of friendship. It may have made more sense to jump right in with Zoe and Becca’s story, letting the audience explore their characters from the off.

The relationship between the two, from their closeness in youth to their fading friendship as the complications of life get in the way, is familiar. Becca’s insistence that Zoe be her bridesmaid, in line with their childhood promises, has a heartbreaking desperation to it. In trying to claw back some piece of the ideal life she imagined as a child, Becca only highlights all the things that are ‘wrong’ or have not gone to plan for both her and Zoe.

The non-linear approach to the narrative is interesting, and switching between Zoe and Becca’s aspirations and relationships as children and as adults helps emphasise the play’s prevailing message: that what we expect and hope for our lives to be is rarely reality. However, it’s not always clear which point in time we’re at. This reduces the impact, with each scene taking a while to adjust to and the flashbacks occasionally making it difficult to connect with the ‘present day’ timeline.

The play tries to handle a lot of complicated themes — maybe too many. With so many concepts stuffed into the 60-minute runtime the piece becomes muddled, different ideas not given space to breathe. Time and Time Again shines when it sticks to just one idea; a scene showing the pair’s inability to connect, through missed phone calls and voicemails, interspersed with social media posts about new jobs and life changes, is striking and effective. Leaning into this more, and focusing on a few select points rather than taking a widebrushstrokes approach, would do much to enhance the production.

Commendations are certainly in order for the use of mime and movement. The set is made up of a few chairs, which become baths, Peletons, desks, and much else besides. The actors really commit to these, so much so that it’s easy to buy into the scene changes. Similarly, the inclusion of dance and interpretive movement throughout is a prime example of showing rather than telling. As well as adding flair to the performance, it adds nuance to Zoe and Becca’s relationship, moving the story on without the need for everything to be spelled out.

Time and Time Again needs work, but the concept, the engagement Renae Lau and Yong have with the material and a number of strong moments throughout sparkle with promise. Once honed, this could be a creative and moving production.

Produced by: Indigo Creative
Co-Creator/Producer/Director: Ioana Pitic
Co-Creator/Producer/Performer: Stephanie Renae Lau
Co-Creator/Producer/Performer: YY Yong
Sound Design by: Victoria Rose Ríos
Lighting Design by: Henry Paul Rehberg
Set & Costume Design by: Camelia Kelerman

Time and Time Again runs at The Space until Saturday 26th October. Further information and booking details can be found here.