Review: and I looked at the sky, Omnibus Theatre

Betty (Mary Tillett) arrives on stage in paint-marked overalls, unsettled, switching the radio on and off. John (John Rayment) follows shortly after, proffering a handmade carrot cake. It’s Betty’s 86th birthday, but there are no candles, and she is unhappy about it. Tense discussion ensues before John finds one. Just the one.

Betty and John are successful creatives with long careers: John a notable writer, Betty an accomplished artist. Their marriage has endured, with their commitment to creativity paramount. They have deliberately chosen not to have children, and they live in a remote village surrounded by nature so they can focus on their craft. But as they age, they find they can no longer produce work as powerful as they once did. What is life if they are no longer relevant? Their discussions are involved, passionate and articulate.

It soon becomes clear that although this birthday is an annual ritual, it is no ordinary one. References are made to a pact from a previous year, underpinned by Betty’s angry exclamation: “It’s all about age!” Some time ago, they decided to control the end of their lives, and her birthday marks the decision point. Dice are thrown and land on 10. The couple have ten months to get their lives in order. The plot then moves forward as the pair sift through their belongings, reminiscing about where they came from, although the fierceness of their debate does not soften. An invisible clock is now ticking, and frustrations rise as Betty cries, “Is my life the sum of this box?”

The staging serves the play well. This is a piece all about story, and so the set is minimal. A kitchen table sits centre stage, around which most of the debates take place, keeping our attention on the dialogue, with a few packing boxes at the back to be used as needed. The lighting design is particularly effective, not only picking out key moments but also creating visual aids such as a TV and off-stage rooms.

The storyline is highly relevant, and the discussions are fierce, emotional and nuanced. What do we leave behind when we die? Do we want to choose how we go, or leave it to chance? Do we know when we have become irrelevant? These questions are unsettling, as the audience inevitably reflects on their own futures. There is a moving interlude when John reveals he has returned to a novel he failed to finish years earlier and completed it. A brief discussion of the plot hints at new possibilities and a flash of former brilliance, which could undermine their decision.

However, once the end point is established, the play feels longer than necessary as we wait for the inevitable conclusion. At 90 minutes, a cut of at least 15 minutes would help. Both actors are strong, but Tillett carries the piece with her emotional dexterity. Ultimately, this is a thoughtful and quietly courageous piece of theatre that asks questions most of us would rather avoid. Its strengths lie in its sharp, passionate dialogue, its committed performances and a staging that never distracts from the story.

Written by Tim Stubbs Hughes
Directed by Julia Stubbs
Lighting Design by Jonathan Samuels 
Sound Design by James Connor 
Presented by 20 South Street & Grey Swan

and I looked at the sky plays at The Omnibus Theatre until Saturday 3 October