Review: Fresh Shoots (Drayton Arms Theatre)

In a recently developed theme for me, Fresh Shoots is an event I had decided to go along to but was then invited to review, so off I went with a notepad (because, there were snippets of 8 different shows!), and a personal mission to try and get a photo of every cast member.  Sadly, I failed on the photos, so apologies to the casts of the shows for which my reflexes and camera combination didn’t succeed.

This was my first scratch night and I walked towards the Drayton Arms feeling excited about seeing some brand new writing in the early stages of development, as well as some familiar faces (along with performers that were new to me) on stage. I wasn’t sure what to expect but fully anticipated there would be some scripts in hands and limited (or no) staging.

To any of the writers and creatives involved who may read this, please bear in mind that reviews are just the thoughts of one person, some of my ideas or suggestions may be completely out of line with where you are going with your stories in the future and that is absolutely fine and to be expected. This is especially relevant with early stage WIPs. I am also determined to avoid spoilers so that is why there are a lack of specifics about the stories themselves. 

Please also note my star ratings in these mini reviews are based on the snapshot moments shared during this scratch night only, so just a rough guide on my own thoughts during this particular evening. These will inevitably change if and when each of the pieces develop.

Without further preamble, below is a mini review of each of the eight pieces I had the privilege of seeing.

Headlights

The first show was Headlights by KC Thomas, who also performed in it along with two other actors.

Bursting onto the stage in a wedding dress, to the sound of Dancing Queen, our seemingly traumatised main character made quite the entrance and then ended up in a cab with a driver (Finton McCluskey) and a sleeping passenger (Louis Kay). How this unfolded as the three interacted was a blend of engaging discussion which slowly revealed the true situation to the audience, and a hint of suspense. The temperature changes surrounding the characters were as frequent as the mood changes in the car.

KC Thomas, Louis Kay and Finton McCluskey

Direction by Christina Raisea Murphy ensured the pacing kept the story engaging and the focus in the right places, especially when characters briefly left and returned into the scene.

The casting for this storyline was perfect, strong performances across the board and the interactions between the actors were authentic and believable.

The lighting was particularly brilliant at a point when police arrived nearby.

I am not certain if this is potentially going to be developed into a longer play but it already stands alone as a polished piece of writing with a satisfying narrative arc.

A perfectly formed short story which holds the interest throughout.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pack Mentality

Sarah Pearcey’s Pack Mentality is a two hander which begins with Aaron (TJ Dudley) sitting on a chair with his hands cuffed behind his back. As the lights come up you really do have no clue where this one is going to go, which is a brilliant way to start.

Aaron’s partner Maya (Helena Baker) started interrogating him on what was revealed to be their six-month anniversary of being a couple. Coming across as slightly paranoid and unhinged in the case of Maya, alongside an understandably confused and stressed Aaron this was a brilliant performance from both actors.

This was one of the shortest pieces and it rounded off nicely and included some satisfying suspense as to where it was going, along with a twist in the tale. It’s another piece that easily sits alone as a short story.

Sarah Pearcey directed as well as writing this piece and the programme states this is their first piece of writing for stage. Bravo.

An accomplished debut piece of writing for stage.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfection

I was excited to see Perfection after seeing writer Anna Seyerle’s performance in another show.

The synopsis says Ander is a shipwrighting prodigy who gains the power of foresight but ends up going down a dark path as a result.

This storyline had a lot going on with multiple narrative arcs involved, and I personally found it quite confusing, but I feel this is because it is in the early stages of development and the world around it is not completely fleshed out yet. It’s also difficult to establish different threads of potentially longer story arcs in such a short space of time in this genre. (This also could easily be a me issue.)

All the cast were fantastic but a highlight for me was Hadrian Conyngham as Ander which was a captivating performance. This character also had the most stage time so was easy to connect with as a result.

I personally feel like it may be worth considering developing this into a novel as the next step.  The writing, to me, felt like it would come alive more readily in the written format. But this is just how I was feeling in the moment on the night, and with more staging and a longer performance time to expand the world and give the characters more backstory, this will likely result in a completely different situation.

It was interesting to see this piece at this “brand new” stage, and I will be keen to see how it develops from here.

A world waiting to be born and characters ready to fill it.

⭐⭐1/2

How to Destroy a Woman

This piece was about 3 generations of a family which was an insightful observation of how family life impacts on individuals over time. Written by Maria Speight, I was excited to see this piece after enjoying another developing play by the same writer. An added bonus for me was seeing Lucy Forker perform again so soon.

The performances from everyone in this cast were engaging and believable, and the direction by Erin Walfisz ensured that transitions between the generations were clear, where they otherwise would have had potential to confuse.

The strength in this piece was how relationships play out, from father to son, then father to daughters but especially between the two sisters.  I feel like the story between the sisters in particular would be great to focus on if this play develops into a longer piece. With that said, I also would like to know more about the older generations as well. I feel like they are all holding on to secrets and I am keen to know what these may be.

Adam Gower, Lydia Cashman, Lucy Forker and George Still

This story has left me thinking about the interactions between the characters in each generation, and wondering about their backstories.  I feel it has great potential to be developed into a longer piece and I will be keen to watch it when this happens.

An insightful piece that is crying out be developed further.

⭐⭐⭐

Spin Cycle

This play, written by Elinor Drew, opened the second half of Fresh Shoots scratch night. The actors on stage were each interacting with their phones for various purposes, but the way the story developed was a combination of what they were saying to their phone audience, as well as how their conversations blended.  This was an astonishingly well-presented piece of comedy writing with cleverly crafted dialogue and the comedy was timed to perfection.

This could have potentially been a disaster without a very well-cast group of actors and the careful direction by Amelia Griffiths that kept the pacing in line. Another piece that didn’t feel like it was in the early days of development at all, and due to the complicated nature of the writing and timings in this it gave the air of a show that has been worked on and rehearsed for weeks.

Performance highlights for me were Bridget Fry as a rather annoying dominant mother figure, the way she played her was superb. Also, Will Byrne’s pension salesman who had the sort of alliteration that, despite being funny, must be a headache to perform without stumbling.

Spin Cycle would also work well as a short film.

A well-crafted, beautifully paced comedy short.

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

More than Half the Days

Set in a group therapy session, More than Half the Days is written by Laura Mottola and was directed by Victoria Hansell.

This was much like being an observer in a real therapy session, which is entirely the point. It almost felt like a non-fiction piece in a way, and it would also be a hard watch for anyone who has experienced mental health difficulties, or has supported people who are or have been dealing with them.  I got a sense that a lot of research and/or background knowledge has been involved with the crafting of this piece as there was a lot of insight into character traits of people with various needs and mental health issues. I'm no psychologist but I could easily recognise some potential diagnoses being played out in front of me. This shows how well-informed the writing is.

The casting was right for each character. There was a fine blend of comedic moments along with the deeper storyline. However, I found myself wondering how these characters behave outside of the therapy room, and if this develops into a longer play I would love to see their stories out in the “real world”, perhaps with the therapy session being snippets along the way.

This would enable a contrast between the intense mood in the therapy session and lighter moments outside of it, also giving the audience the space to breathe.

This is probably a really obvious comment but I still do want to say that if this is developed into a longer play, it would be a good idea to put a content warning on any publicity information for it.

Insightful writing and a tough watch at times.

⭐⭐⭐

Masc for Masc

Written by Jye Bryant and directed by Dan Hardwell, Masc for Masc is described as a hilarious takedown of the toxic pressure gay men feel to confirm to straight masculine ideals.

This was an interesting composition, brought alive by the cast, with Tito Espinosa as our main character, Zack, who was heading out on a date and feeling like he had to present as more masculine than he actually was. Their performance here was exceptional. Another performance highlight was from Tom Farrance as a waiter, who dished up a masterclass in scathing looks.

The combination of the writing and performances made me want to see so much more about Zack and his interactions with others, including the characters who already appeared in this snippet. There is a sense that he has many other stories to tell, and the energy this character gave out during the initial preparation stage of the story made him instantly likeable and got the audience rooting for him.

Jamie Myles, Tito Espinosa and Leonardo Bartolotta

Masc for Masc was indeed hilarious at times, but also an insightful empathy-provoking piece and I already would like to see more of this again before too long.

Zack is screaming out (dramatically) for a full-length show.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goldfish

Written by Alison Viña and performed by Rachel Márquez, Goldfish is a solo piece about a playwright who has finally achieved her dream and had a play accepted by a London theatre, but with a twist.

This is a multi-genre story that includes implied threat, mild breaking of the fourth wall, mystery, monologue and all those things together make it a gripping watch.

One of the noticeable moments in this short was when the pub name was mentioned and the lighting and sound changed, instantly transporting us to the pub below the theatre. There was also a rather entertaining way of ensuring certain items appeared before our main character.

Another piece that stands alone as a satisfying short story, with tight direction by Brittany Rex keeping the pace at a satisfying level throughout, this was a fantastic way to end the evening on a high note.

A gripping monologue with a satisfying story arc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In summary:

I must give a shoutout to lighting designer Jess Perritt whose enhancements to each show were timed to perfection and insightful. Also, to Stage Manager, Donovan Lenten, who must have been busy supporting so many shows, yet also managed to host the evening perfectly.

I would also like to say, despite being very excited about seeing snippets of 8 new pieces of writing, I was not expecting to see such a refreshing mixture of early writing alongside more developed pieces, all presented in the format of fully fledged performances which had been well rehearsed. This, and that fact that there were varying genres in the plays involved, was the perfect way to ensure an audience remained engaged.

This was a triumph of an evening, and I would recommend catching a Cellar Door Theatre scratch night to anyone who enjoys short stories, new writing and/or fringe theatre. Being in a theatre full of creative energy was invigorating. As a whole package, I cannot rate this highly enough.

I was gifted a ticket for this event, for which I am truly grateful.

My curtain call photos for some of these show are over on my Instagram. Sadly the other shows' curtain call moments I didn't get any decent images for - apologies again.

The photos shared in this review are the few curtain call photos that made sense for this. The lens I was using isn't optimised for taking photos of groups, so the choice was limited.