Review: by their fruits, Theatre503

Review: by their fruits, Theatre503

Summary

Rating

60

Good

This lyrical and poetic show goes beneath the surface of an intense romantic and sexual relationship to explore the passion, obsession and demons behind love.

As a theatre writer I have my tastes and interests, which often dictate the shows that I choose to write about. It is also enriching to sometimes step outside the bubble of your own tastes and see something completely different. This is why I chose to see by their fruits – as a way of challenging myself.

The show charts the course of an intense relationship between a man and a woman, exploring their passion, the deep connection they have, their dependency on each other and the tensions that arise. It also examines these characters’ obsessions and demons.

The narrative is loose, and a lot of the scenes are abstract. The characters have no names, referred to as Him and Her in the programme, which keeps the drama focused on their relationship and removes other aspects of their lives. This economy of plotting gives space for the relationship to be fully developed. We see how their love, or any love, can be complicated, not always positive, not always pleasant and sometimes destructive. This details how intense feelings can bring people together and drive them apart.

The writing from dkfash is lyrical, with a lot of emotional impact, and further adds to the abstract nature of the show by being poetic instead of naturalistic. Often it focuses on the characters’ deep feelings, which helps to get under the surface of this relationship. This precise articulation of feelings with lyrical dialogue is reminiscent of Kae Tempest or a William Shakespeare monologue; consistently beautiful and engrossing.

The two performers Ivan Oyik and Reba Ayi-Sobsa have electric chemistry, conveying all the passion, anger and love that a deep connection between two people has. The movement scenes are also amazing, as both are powerful but graceful physical performers.

One abstract dance scene representing sex employs incredible feats of athleticism and coordination that is stunning to watch. The music helps develop the mood of each scene and complements the movements sections well, as does the minimalist set and lighting, which help the performers conjure real and abstract places.

The loose narrative structure means there is little character progression. The relationship does move on through break ups, reconnecting and a surprise pregnancy, but there is not a sense of the characters growing as people. There is also little development of the characters outside this relationship. Specific details are brought in to make the characters more three dimensional, but these are not fully explored.

The plot has only a few beats in a 120-minute show, which means there are no surprises in the narrative as it unfolds. However, I do not believe that dkfash intends the narrative to have interesting twists or be set in a complex world. This is a detailed portrait of a relationship that is both specific enough to be believable and abstract enough that we can all place ourselves within it. On that basis, by their fruits succeeds.

The characters’ emotional journey is compelling, and I did root for them to have a happy ending. The lyrical writing shines throughout and the performances by Oyik and Ayi-Sobsa are completely captivating. These build to a satisfying climax, which left me pleased that I had chosen to see a piece that was so different to what normally grabs my attention.

---

Writer, Director and Movement: dkfash

Set & Costume Designer: Amanda Ramasawmy

Lighting Designer: Rachel E. Cleary

Casting Associate: Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu

Assistant Director/Choreographer: Rebecca Solomon

Intimacy Director: Bethan Clark

Stage Manager & Co-Sound Designer: Kim Nickerson

by their fruits plays at Theatre503 until Saturday 30th November. Further information and booking details can be found here.