Review: Reality Bites (Arches Lane Theatre)

I was invited to review Reality Bites but I had already bought a ticket as I liked the idea of visiting Arches Lane Theatre as it is now (it’s been a year since my last visit, back when it was The Turbine) and supporting a brand new production company, Gooper Dust.

Walking into the theatre I looked at the set and my overactive imagination created a scenario where a show was being advertised but in fact the audience were being tricked into seeing a recording of an actual TV reality show.  (Perhaps that is another story waiting to be written.) The set (designed by Phil Newman, who also designed the costumes) is striking and this is assisted by clever lighting design. A similarity with the set on Naked Attraction, brought a sense of familiarity.

Reality Bites, written by Jamie Christian, is a series of four monologues by four very different characters who are strangers, yet their situations are loosely tied together by a TV show with the same name as the play. They each discuss how they’ve been impacted by an episode of this show.

Luis Donegan-Brown begins, and his character Chris is so cleverly written it’s hard to work out what is going on with him initially, is he neurodivergent and why does he think he’s a bit better than other people are two of the thoughts that went through my mind. There is a lot of detail in his backstory which then explains why he thinks how he does. I thought the costume choice really suited this character, and the direction by Andy Mcleod enabled body language to add to the narrative. Chris’s connection with the fictional show is minimal but this builds with each character.

Simeon Willis plays a bored husband – Max - who has found a temp at his business interesting enough to give him ideas of expanding his horizons, so to speak. The distance between reality and what is going on Max’s head is a yawning chasm. This character I have to admit I found quite annoying, but this was entirely intended.

Patti – played by Laura Shipler Chico, was a contestant on the TV show. She speaks her monologue from a trip away, where she’s escaped to do some yoga and avoid being at home during the time the show is going to air, and the way she describes her experience of being involved is all positive spin and blessed by God. Patti’s character added some lighter narrative and the most laugh out loud moments to the play, and yet at the same time reflects an intense period of time in the character’s life.

Robert Eades then played out Joshua’s story, with descriptions of a situation that were raw and current with far too much involvement of “the show” in his life than anyone would want, and missing his support network around him. I really felt for Joshua, and this performance was really strong by Robert Eades, demonstrating how impacted Joshua had been by recent events.

I found all four of these performances engaging to watch, and have been thinking about the characters and their situations since.  I love the sort of writing that makes me think long after the curtain call. I think this play in particular also appealed to me as one of my favourite forms of writing is flash fiction and it almost felt like four pieces of that but in theatre form.

The content of the monologues makes you think about some of the assumptions that are sometimes made about (and by) people who go on reality TV shows, and brings to the forefront that what you see on TV is a tiny part of the lives of contestants, and the consequences of being on such a show can ripple far.

The one thing I would say, as much as I love the intimate feel of this theatre (the area around it is gorgeous too, a lovely place to spend time relaxing) and usually I love the sound of trains rumbling around smaller spaces, for me this was somewhat distracting with this show – I think because it was monologues so I was completely focussed on each person as they spoke. The sounds dragged me away from that slightly.

The experience of seeing this show here, though, is wonderful, with the performers and creative team wandering into the bar after the show.  If you’re completely in awe of people who do something you could not (I am), it might make you feel a bit star struck.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reality Bites is showing at Arches Lane Theatre until 20 July.

Over on Facebook I have written about the free panel talk, including stars from reality TV shows and mental health professionals, that happened after the show. This also includes photos of the panel.

Please see my Instagram if you’d like to see more photos from the curtain call.