Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
A thrilling tale of chaos, indulgence and danger from a single scratch ticket.Summary
Rating
Good
Alfred Hitchcock once described the notion of the ‘MacGuffin’ as “the device, the gimmick, if you will, or papers the spies are after… The only thing that really matters is that in the picture the plans, documents or secrets must seem to be of vital importance to the characters. To me, the narrator, they’re of no importance whatsoever.” A MacGuffin is exactly what is presented during The Workingman’s Club by Jessica Tyler. Sarah wins £100 on a scratch ticket which is vitally important to her and her best friend Gemma, and they play around with ideas of how they are going to spend the money.
Throughout the production (in which Tyler plays all the roles), the MacGuffin presents itself in three different ways. It is briefly the scratch ticket, then very quickly it becomes the money from the scratch ticket. Later, after Sarah and Gemma meet a drug dealer Jonny and discover that he has a plethora of cash stored away, Jonny’s money becomes the MacGuffin. The audience has little interest in the actual money itself, but they are invested in the drama that unfolds around it between Sarah, Gemma and Jonny. Throughout the duration of the show, the characters are all chasing after something. Whether, they are chasing a ticket, money or even more excitement in life, they all feel the need to go after something.
The writing aspect of The Workingman’s Club is phenomenal, particularly after Sarah and Gemma meet Jonny at the club. From the beginning and leading up to this meeting, the pace is much slower. It is during this time the audience is able to understand who Sarah is, where she works and what her overall life is like. It is made clear that her community in the North East of England does not have an overabundance of excitement or money to go around and it has been this way for quite a while. Therefore, when some she obtains some money she must decide carefully what to do with it. After the trio get together, the pace becomes much faster, the characters diving into a rabbit-hole leading to a chaotic night that affects their lives forever.
Tyler performs the three characters (Sarah, Gemma and Jonny), along with other side characters, phenomenally, and although the props on stage consist of only three chairs and two glasses of water, she is able to engage the audience’s imagination fully. With just one person running around on stage telling the story and portraying so many characters, it feels like the audience is being told a thrilling campfire story. This is further enhanced by the use of noir-like effects in the lighting.
Through its incredible writing, acting and storytelling, The Workingman’s Club has the potential to expand itself with more actors and more props, but it most certainly performs well as a one-person show.
Performed by: Jessica Tyler
Written by: Jessica Tyler
This show’s run is now complete. You can find out more about Jessica Tyler, here.
