Next up in The Other Room’s Lovesick season is All But Gone, and is the first piece directed by Dan Jones after taking over as Artistic Director. Oh, and this is a production you won’t want to miss.
This time round your ticket is a seat at the kitchen table in Owen’s home, and we’re right up close as the story unfolds with a young boy breaking in to his home in the early hours of the morning. However, the writer is quick to make clear that this piece is not all staged in one set point in time, and we are transported back in time to key points in Owen’s life, as dementia slowly takes hold of his remaining memories and he has trouble differentiating old friends from new.
As people from Owen’s past are introduced, and storylines intersect and cross over, we learn of his difficult decisions, and his battles with society’s acceptable version of himself, as well as those who came in to his life and left again. The reliance between Kai and Owen is touching to watch, and the family dynamic between Bev, Howell and their mother will strike a cord with many in the audience. There are no weak performances within the cast, and the story flows fluidly through time and between moments of humour, loss and despair.
With a set like no other yet again in the intimate pub theatre, and clever lighting design transporting us back and forth in time with ease, All But Gone is a touching and poignant piece which glows with powerfully poetic writing and strong direction despite the vague memories presented. A stellar production, and one not to miss in Cardiff this month.
All But Gone runs at The Other Room until April 14th. Follow them on Twitter @TORtheatre
Theatre and Tea 