Park Theatre
Playing until 2nd November 2024
Photo credit: Harry Elletson
Review {AD-PR Gifted}
Based on the novel by Ali Smith, Autumn follows the Elisabeth (Rebecca Banatvala), as she returns to the town where she grew up soon after Brexit and reconnect with Daniel (Gary Lilburn), who spends most of his days asleep in a care home. The passage of time is presented in a multitude of ways, a linear progression, a throwback to the distant past and dreamlike sequences as if time has grinded to a halt. This is a story of interactions between family and friends and reconnections with things, events and people lost to time.
The narratives of the play are both humorous and poetic. Harry Mcdonald’s script sets the scene of a small village or town, where Elisabeth applies for a new passport at a local post office. The worker, played by Nancy Crane is sarcastic, pedantic and takes her job way too seriously. While this exchange is straight forward, this to and fro between Elisabeth and the post office worker sets the foundation of the story, generating much of the laughs in the early part of the play to draw in the audiences before they are introduced to a more complex perception of time. Through a series of short flashbacks, the relationship between Elisabeth, her mother, Wendy (Sophie Ward), and Daniel are made clear, allowing the story to then progress unhindered. Thus, the first half of the script is well developed and enticing, leaving the audience eager to find out what may come next.
However, as the more challenging concepts are introduced, oftentimes through poetic narratives, the story can become disorientating as to what is happening and when. I do acknowledge however, that this is precisely the point in which the story is hoping to communicate and the language used add value to the dreamlike and mystical nature of Daniel’s visions of his sister Hannah (also played by Crane) in his dreams. In this dream like state, Lilburn and Crane share a delicate exchange between siblings, all of these happened about 70 years ago in the 1940s. While others’ lives move on and Elisabeth reads to him from his bedside, this is some of the things the Daniel dreams of. To him, time has stopped and he is given the new opportunity to think and to reminisce. Although the writer and director, Charlotte Vickers, have largely achieved their ambition through this production, a scaled back artistic communication would help keep the engagement of audiences in the second half of the show.
At times, the dialogues do seem to be dragged out and it becomes unclear on how each of the different jigsaws introduced fit together. To me, it is not entirely clear if the subplot around Wendy and her infatuation towards her idol Zoe adds substantial materialistic influence to the eventual outcome of the play.
Banatvala and Lilburn share many heartwarming moments together in this story. Quite early on, we find out that Elisabeth’s mother had used her neighbour, Daniel, as Elisabeth’s babysitter, who in turn also taught Elisabeth a range of things, including the ability to be imaginative, creative and see things beyond the surface. The trust and bond between these two characters are intimate and extremely believable and fully justifies Elisabeth’s efforts to keep Daniel company and read to him once a week while he is in the care home, where he spends most if not all of her visits sleeping.
Lighting and set designs by Ali Hunter and Grace Venning are used effectively and compliments the presence of reality and abstract passage of time, and the state experienced by the different characters. The plastic sheets also add a nice touch, creating the sounds that remind the audience of crisp rustling leaves.
This stage production of Autumn brings Ali Smith’s story to life, taking the audience on a journey through time. Through the use of human connections established by four talent actors, the creatives have produced an intimate story of reconnection and reminiscence.
Creatives
Based on the novel by Ali Smith
Writer: Harry Mcdonald
Director: Charlotte Vickers
Set and Costume Designer: Grace Venning
Lighting Designer: Ali Hunter
Sound Designer: Jamie Lu
Producer: Jessie Anand
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