Review: A Bit of Me, The Hen and Chickens Theatre

A Bit of Me certainly does a good job of misdirection. What initially appears to be heading towards a story of the dangers of social media and online trolls suddenly becomes something quite unexpected and rather wonderful, as we head along a very different path about family ties and what makes a family.

Emma (Anna Bradley) is 18 and headstrong, very like her dad Cameron (Philip Jennings). She is also about to be a contestant on Love Island, much to her parents’ dismay. Elsewhere, Lisa (Rhianna Jarrett) is leading a drab life. She works in a care home and feels that at almost 30 she is already old. Some nice writing fills in the blanks for us in a natural way; she’s a product of the care system, her biological mother now deceased, and as we learn in the very opening scene, she has just been warned by the police for harassment, having been bombarding Emma’s parents with phone calls and online messages.

Through a series of scenes all the pieces slowly fall into place. We learn why Lisa has had that police warning, and why Emma’s mum (Catherine Mobley) is so worried by it all. Perhaps the big reveal is not that big a reveal having been carefully signposted along the way, but it doesn’t really matter because it is only a part of the story.

Eleanor Kumar‘s script and directing is soft and caring, taking us where we need to be just when we need to be there, every revelation carefully worked in and never forced. Cameron reveals much to his therapist (Maggie McGuire) during sessions following an outburst at work, which allow us to learn a lot about him and his relationship with Emma in a way that could easily feel fake elsewhere. Meanwhile, we discover plenty about Lisa from her relationship with housemate Amy (Kate Devaney).

The script, though, is hefty (in a great way), so there’s a lot to fit into one hour – maybe a little too much. A decision probably needs to be made whether the run time should be longer (it really could be expanded comfortably) or whether the Love Island thread could be dropped to allow time for more pertinent scenes to be expanded. Given the plot is based on a true story, one might assume this thread is there for authenticity, but there could be better (and quicker) ways to ensure Lisa sees Emma, which is a vital part of the story.

Careful consideration has gone into scene transitions and stage blocking. The fixed set of a table on one side, representing Lisa’s home, and a sofa on the opposite side that makes up Emily’s parents’ home allows a good flow as well as telling us everything we need to know about the two households. There are also some wonderful transitions where one scene turns instantly into the next without pause, often for flashbacks. It all gives the whole a good, snappy feel.

To match the great script there are some impressive performances all round, although Jennings’ Dad and Jarrett’s Lisa maybe shine that little brighter; both characters that really go through the emotions, with the pair more than equal to those needs.

A Bit of Me is already a fully fleshed out play and worthy of a proper run away from Camden Fringe. But it also feels like a play that could grow further from these initial steps with just a little more work on that script. Even as it stands, it is an emotionally packed drama that will leave you caring for every single one of the characters we get to meet.

Written and directed by Eleanor Kuma
Assistant director: Georgie Larkin
Movement director: Tallula Francis
Produced by Mairin Schmidt for Home Bird Theatre
Lighting design by Luke Jackson
Sound by Neil McKeown

A Bit of Me has completed its run at Camden Fringe