Writer & Director: Eleanor Kumar
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Too Much, Yet Not Enough“
2 / 5
~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~
Emma has been accepted to take part on the new series of Love Island and she is over the moon, the same, definitely can’t be said for her parents. Not only are they horrified that she will be parading around on screen in a bikini all summer, but they also hold a huge secret – that if exposed, could change their family forever.
The truth is, Emma (Anna Bradley) was adopted as a three-year-old, leaving her older sister behind and becoming part of her new family as a single child instead. Her parents agreed never to tell Emma, but now that she’s being broadcast to millions of viewers each night, their hand has been forced. Her sister Lisa (Dayna Browning) recognises her immediately, excitedly comparing their features and certain that she’s finally found the family member she’s been searching for all these years. She sets out to contact her and reunite their relationship, but will Emma be receptive to her contact?
A Bit of Me is a tremendously short show, running at around 45 minutes long. Considering the length, there is a lot that writer and director Eleanor Kumar has tried to pack into the story – unfortunately, often to its detriment. Not only is there the main plot thread of adoption that is never explored enough, but there are also multiple throwaway comments to side stories that, if ingrained into the story better, could help to develop the backstory and character connections that this show so desperately needs. Lisa was homeless, the father is in therapy for hitting a work colleague, Emma was groped in a club – all fleeting statements that create intrigue about each character that fizzles away immediately as they move on to the next scene. The storyline feels rushed and unfinished, almost like ideas scribbled out and improvised rather than then being fully fleshed out and completed.
Although the cast are acting on stage – considering there are four actors, there isn’t enough reacting or interaction with each other. Many of the lines are said as monologues to the audience, and the few conversations that the characters have with each other are fleeting and lacking in substance. Because of the minimal cohesion between the characters, they lack in chemistry on stage which further dilutes the production. The dual timelines are also initially quite confusing – at one point, Emma is two weeks away from entering the Love Island house, talking about her anticipation to leave and discussing her imminent TV appearance to friends and family. Nestled in between these scenes are headlines about Emma’s conduct in the house and her sister Lisa finding similarities with her younger sister – initially, it’s not clear that there are two separate timelines which muddies the flow completely. These fragmented plot holes scattered throughout the script don’t ever help to move the storyline along, instead they are just snippets of moments for each character with no real conclusion even at the very abrupt end.
The premise and the various potential plot points are very intriguing, but it needs a lot of work to really engage an audience. As it stands, considering the amount of opportunity crammed in – nothing is really said. The ‘big reveal’ is unadventurous and lacking in any form of emotion, warmth or conflict, and from there onwards, it is so neat and simplified that it teeters on the verge of being very boring.
Runs Until 18 March 2024
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