Review: Transient, Bridewell Theatre

Transient starts at the end of the story, and indeed, the end of a relationship. Both characters appear to want it to work, but there is an insurmountable divide, and the woman (Vedika Haralalka) walks out: physically leaving both the room and the relationship. Cesar Azanza, the man, regrets not following her when invited, but stays put nonetheless. 

The action then follows a series of vignettes in reverse order. I always like a play that expects the audience to do some work, and fill in the gaps, but on this occasion, the gaps were just a little too big, and there were too many loose ends. The result was a feeling of having to lean forward and squint to try and work out what had happened. Having said that, the script clearly has potential, is nuanced and clever, and the acting is strong, particularly from Haralalka.

Both characters are immigrants and have come to London: he to study a business degree; she to manage an art gallery. They meet at the airport carousel, waiting for lost luggage. Her case arrives. It is uncertain as to whether his ever does, but her case stays on stage throughout. As does a chair, which Cezar manages to construct on his own without instructions. Although left unsaid, the implications of constructing flatpack furniture suggest a level of domesticity as the pair take societally assigned gender roles, which, in time, may prove problematic.

As we work backwards in time, there are a couple of scenes in particular which have serious consequences for the central relationship. And although the action in each moment is clear, the reaction, which results in a confusion of feelings between the two, is not. It may be reflective of the natural course of the breakdown of communication between a couple who are struggling with big emotional real-life events, and varying upbringings, but I think more dialogue would provide more clarity and would just be more interesting.

The set is minimal, and music is used occasionally. Personally, I love music in production, streamed or live, but again, there’s not enough here. Match the tune to the emotion or scene, and use it more.

My immediate response when leaving the theatre was that I had seen something good, if a little intangible. The following morning, I was less sure of what I had actually seen. However, this production is part of the Camden Fringe festival: its very purpose is to trial work, and the quality of the writing there was, along with the strength of the acting, means there is a lot of potential.  Just a little more work is needed. As it stands, running time is 50 minutes, so there is definitely room for a little extra!

Written by Cesar Azanza
Directed by Matthew Paul
Presented by Until the Next Productions

Transient has completed its run at The Bridwell Theatre