Still Here – Jack Studio Theatre, Brockley

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer: Mari Lloyd

Director: Julia Stubbs

“Excellent Actors, Endearing Script”

3 / 5

~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~

18 – not quite an adult, but no longer a child. The age when you’re expected to all of a sudden pull everything together and make huge choices about the rest of your life. Your parents encourage you to go down one path while simultaneously enforcing independence. In this one-act show, teenagers Rhys and Yasmin are still figuring it out, still learning, Still Here, making sense of everything.

Rhys has lived in the Valleys his whole life, comfortable in the familiarity of his town, but constantly frustrated. Angry at his mother for not being around, at his father for his lack of communication, at Yasmin, the new girl at school who swears a lot and seems to be infiltrating every corner of his life. Channelling his frustration into boxing begins as an outlet, but slowly borderlines on obsession. As he struggles to fight his way through his feelings, Yasmin is slowly coming to terms with her own path in life, also drawn to the boxing gym as a means of escapism. Feeling stifled by her family, she yearns for independence, moving in with her nan while she does her A-Levels, and taking up a voluntary role at the local care home. It’s here that she observes a different outlook on life, a new way of approaching things, and an opportunity to heal Rhys and his mother’s broken relationship before it’s too late.

Mari Lloyd writes with genuine insight and emotion, incorporating light-hearted jokes to loosen the script from getting too heavy. Her characters are realistic, genuine and likeable – their flaws explained with ample backstory to ensure the audience remain on side. Director Julia Stubbs allows the focus to stay solely on the actors and the script – the empty stage, minimal sound and lighting taking a backseat to allow the words to fully take hold.

Emma Kaler (Yasmin) and Phillip John Jones (Rhys) are absolutely fantastic actors, each performing their monologues with heart-felt emotion. Until the very end of the show they don’t interact directly with each other, instead both singularly recalling events, their narratives weaving between each other cleverly. And yet, even without the interaction, the chemistry between them is clear, their timings are spot on as they carefully build and dismantle various levels of emotion.

This is an endearing, enjoyable script performed by two wonderful actors with a long future ahead of them. Whether you’re a young adult finding your place in the world, or of an older generation struggling to keep up with life’s many changes – this show works for all.

Runs until 25 March 2023