Electric // REVIEW

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We follow Scarlett (Ali Hardiman) and Joni (Ericka Roe) as they navigate Electric Picnic’s complex milieu of mud, intoxicants, and socio-economic relations. Scarlett is posh–one of those ‘all-girl fee-paying secondary school types’, and has been forced to attend the festival by her mother. Joni is a presumably working-class, seasoned festival-goer whose parents apparently view her as merely a source of income for themselves. What follows is a reasonably fresh take on the well-established odd couple set-up, as the pair are magnetically attracted to one another and go on to forge a relationship that raises profound questions about their own identities–aspects of which seem more the internalised expectations of their parents and peers than their own true essence.

This is, among other things, a play of self-discovery and self-identification, in which our two performers must switch rapidly and frequently between playing their own characters and those of the other festival-goers. The acting ability of Hardiman and Roe is strenuously tested and the young actors are given the opportunity to showcase their truly impressive acting chops. Not only is each actor admirable in their own right, the chemistry between their characters is startling and does so much to elevate this performance. Ursula McGinn’s fantastic set design not only captures through minimalism the florid excess of the Picnic, it utilises the beautiful Smock Alley space to great effect, in turn allowing us to immerse ourselves in the inner lives of our protagonists. Composer Sam Hardiman–given a great opportunity by the play’s setting at a music festival–treated the audience to some genuinely enjoyable music.

The audience laughed enthusiastically throughout. The script does make some attempts at more serious social commentary though, and while its observations of social etiquette and class tensions will feel relatable, accurate and true, they are not particularly incisive or insightful. The characters are caricatures and, though this is of course no great weakness in a play that uses caricatures for the sake of comedy, this reviewer looks forward to Hardiman’s future work in which her obvious talent for observation might manifest itself in more nuanced characters and plotlines.  

There is great heart to this production. A touching script, tremendous performances, great music and set design, and small touches like face-painting for the audience, all help to create an atmosphere of infectious positivity and warmth.

 

Electric is an original comedy production written by Ali Hardiman and directed by Clare Maguire. The play was staged in the Smock Alley Theatre Boys’ School from 18th to 23rd March – the first set of dates for its ongoing tour of the UK & Ireland.

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