Time is an interesting concept. Our lives revolve around time as it governs our plans, dreams and goals yet it is a human created notion that makes us older, sometimes wiser and often disappointed.In A YEAR FROM NOW performed at this year’s VAULT FESTIVAL, RedBellyBlack Theatre Company try to explore the idea of time by asking fourteen people where they would like to be a year from now. Although at times the piece delves into dark territory and attempts to reflect not only on personal stories but also on the socio-political state of the world, overall A YEAR FROM NOW has a lot of lost potential and it would definitely benefit from further development.
A YEAR FROM NOW is a verbatim piece where the members of the cast lip sync to the recordings from the interviews they have gathered. The interviewees are their friends or family members and this allows for a strong personal connection between the work and the performers. There is an incredible diversity amongst the interviewees and whilst we hear from an old pensioner that expresses his wish to still be here a year from now, we also hear from a little boy who spends his time playing hide and seek and wishes for a race car.
The production takes an interesting turn when it begins to explore the stories of those who have been struck by sickness or terminal illness, challenging our usual perception of time and reminding us that time indeed is a priceless gift that should never be taken for granted. But it is also this segment in particular that could be advanced from further work and more investigation of the dark and compelling themes.
All of the five performers in A YEAR FROM NOW take centre stage at some point allowing every one of them to showcase their set of skills and take on the characterisation of the interviewees. There are two outstanding performances throughout, coming from Clementine Mills, who embodies the characters in a hypnotising way, and is perhaps the most advanced in the movement work, and Kate Goodfellow, who truly finds joy and a childlike quality in herself in the way she embraces the role of a four year old boy.
RedBellyBlack Theatre Company is a perfect example of a theatre company still trying to find its feet, not sure in which direction they are heading or which discipline to concentrate on, resulting in the work feeling quite muddled and not multifaceted enough for it to be truly gripping yet.
Until April 29th London theatre goers have the chance to enjoy one of the undisputed masterpieces of American playwriting in a remount of a highly acclaimed Broadway production of THE GLASS MENAGERIE, staged by Olivier and Tony Award winning director John Tiffany, who's recently enjoyed meteoric success with his staging of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD.