Review: Union Shorts, Union Theatre

An evening of eight short plays might sound like a gamble. With such a breadth of voices, stories and styles, it would be reasonable to expect a mixed bag. But Union Shorts is that rare beast: a fringe showcase with remarkably consistent quality across the board.

Carefully curated by the Union Theatre, this collection brings together new writing, emerging directors, and a vibrant array of acting talent. Each play has its own distinct voice, yet all are unified by a stripped-back simplicity. The staging, necessarily minimal due to the logistical demands of so many pieces, served the evening well. With no elaborate design or technical distractions, the focus remained squarely on the essentials: writing, directing and performance, and none of these disappointed.

The evening opens with We’re Boiling Alfred Baines by Mackie Reyes, one of the more substantial offerings, complete with minor scene changes and a larger cast. It is an ambitious and entertaining start, but some of the shorter pieces ultimately leave the stronger impression.

Sex on the Beach, by Robert Frew, stands out for its sharp wit and concise storytelling: two strangers sunbathing on Brighton beach begin with snarky internal monologues, voiced for the audience, and slowly reveal their humanity through a charming encounter. It is funny, warm, and cleverly constructed.

Equally effective is That’s All the Questions We Have by Richard A Horn (the pen name for Andrew Friedman), which took the familiar awkwardness of a job interview and spun it into something hilariously surreal. Roles shifted: interviewer, interviewee and intern, in a dizzying power-play that managed to be both nightmarish and sharply satirical.

After the interval, Something Only We Know by Isabelle Tyner brings a more sombre tone. It deals, clearly but obliquely, with the grief of losing a child. The exact nature of the tragedy is never fully revealed, which gives the piece a haunting, mysterious tension that lingers after the lights dim.

Sisterland by Georga De La Cour walks a similar tonal tightrope: set in a nightclub toilet, it combines simple humour with warm humanity. It manages to provoke laughter while building tension and leaves us with an unsettling twist.

It’s hard to single out individual performers, as the programme doesn’t specify who plays which role. This is a small frustration in an otherwise excellent event. But the overall standard of acting is consistently high, with no weak links across the evening. From comic timing to emotional truth, the casts deliver across a broad spectrum of styles and genres. That’s what makes this night such a success. These short plays are the theatrical equivalent of short stories: they must establish character, mood, and conflict within minutes. The writers show impressive economy and invention; the directors bring clarity and pace; and the actors embrace each piece with energy and authenticity.

Special credit should go to the Union Theatre for supporting this format. Events like this offer a rare and rewarding opportunity to encounter emerging voices at their most daring and distilled, and combined with the wonderful terrace, friendly bar and convivial atmosphere you can see why this theatre is consistently popular. Here’s hoping we see more like it.

We’re Boiling Alfred Baines: By Mackie Reyes, Directed by Namoo Chae Lee

Sex on the Beach: By Robert Frew, Directed by Kelsey Egan

Invader: By Aaron Rooney, Directed by Eilidh Evans

That’s All the Questions We Have: By Richard A Horn (Andrew Friedman), Directed by Laura-May Hassan

Something Only We Know: By Isabelle Tyner, Director by Anna Georginam

Nordica: By Netta Walker, Directed by Kay Brattan

Sisterland: By Georga De La Cour, Directed by Charlotte Cattrall

Rat: By Cameron Corcoran, Directed by Simon Pilling

Union Shorts plays at the Union Theatre until Wednesday 18 June.