This story of inter-generational friendship delivers warmth and humour, but could do a lot more with less. Rating
Good!
I’ve a lot of admiration for writers and actors with the bravery, vision and stamina to conceive and deliver a one-person play based on their own experiences, particularly over an extended duration. At ninety minutes, this is exactly what Jamie Nowski has done with his debut play, Getting Rekt. But its strongest feature – having one performer create a complex world single-handedly – also risks being the thing that stops it from becoming something more profound.
At its heart, this feels like the kind of story that would make a road movie or, given the wheelchair, a pavement movie. It’s the apparently semi-autobiographical story of a somewhat lost young lad, Rek (or Derek, to give him his full name), trying to carve out a role for himself as a grunge artist while working in an elderly care home by day. His unorthodox but appreciated care methods lead him to help Zofia, a resident with dementia, break out for the day in search of sunflowers. As their trip takes them further than imagined, their physical journey becomes an emotional one.
It’s an engaging story that touches on the trauma of war, the tenderness of intergenerational friendship and the need to discover who we are and what we love.
The writing is mostly very good, with moments of real tenderness alongside sharp observational comedy: if you’re sensitive about living in Croydon, this might not be the play for you. The woman on the desk at Kew Gardens and the guide at the National Gallery are particularly well observed, written and performed.
But this is also part of the problem. Nowski plays all these roles, as well as many others, while addressing the audience directly and narrating. Although he mostly makes these switches effectively, things become messy at times, particularly in the crucial interactions with Zofia. The direction here is muddy: he takes to the wheelchair to become Zofia, but often remains there when returning to Derek. At other times he stays in position for shorter interjections from her. The audience can follow, but I found myself distracted, wondering whether there was significance to these inconsistencies.
The play’s exposition is also overburdened. In the first third, we meet his boss Cheryl and a trainee in his charge, neither of whom reappears or has any significant impact on what follows. Cutting this section would help balance the play and clarify where the audience should place its attention. It would also create space to deepen the central characters, particularly Zofia, who sometimes feels too lightly drawn.
That said, this is theatre, not film, and there is no doubting that Nowski is a skilled writer and actor who brings tremendous energy and precision to the stage. From the tonal contrasts of the opening to the moving coda, there is real talent at work.
One element I cannot praise highly enough is Jack Bales’ sound design. On an empty set, sound does a huge amount of the heavy lifting, and it is some of the best I’ve encountered: every musical note, cue and effect is perfectly timed and well judged.
Despite its structural obstacles, Getting Rekt wins you over. It is executed with precision and care, taking us on a warm, engaging emotional journey that ultimately leaves behind a strong sense of hope.
Written & Performed by Jamie Nowski
Creative Producer: Teryn Gray
Directed by Finella Waddilove
Technical Design by Dylan Lowe
Music & Sound Design by Jack Bales
Voice Coaching by Helena Fox
Getting Rekt plays at the Union Theatre until Thursday 24 September
