Phone – Courtyard Theatre, Old Street

Writer/Director: Sam Taylor

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Excellently well-layered characters“

3.5 / 5

When four siblings revisit the old seaside hotel in Hastings they used to go to as kids, they realise that even though the arcades on the old pier might still be stuck in the 90s, in comparison, their lives have all massively changed.

Eldest sibling Helen (Flora Ashton) is excited to be back, reminiscing about the old games they used to play together and the strange quirks about the hotel suchas the dodgy shower that bugged them even as children. But after being away in Bali and doing a phone detox, she quickly realises how disconnected the family has become. Issy (Jessica Garton) has a new, older love interest, who doesn’t seem to be doing much for her self-esteem, and youngest, Luke (Felix Warren) is suspended from school after an altercation with another student. Even Harvey (Ted Walliker) who looks like he has his life together, is struggling at work and his relationship with Sara (Lauren Koster) is on the rocks. This family holiday could be just what they all need to strengthen their relationships again – but it would mean they have to peel themselves away from being buried in their smartphones first.

Sam Taylor’s well-written show does characterisation fantastically. From the moment the four siblings are introduced, their dynamic is brilliant. Their faces in the dark room are lit up solely from the light on their phone screens, as they sit in silence, hypnotised by whatever app they’re scrolling on. Their familiar interactions are realistic and relatable, humorously showcased by the talented actors. Though the play is set solely in the hotel room, it remains engaging for the most part – interesting watching the conversations play out, especially whenever the hilarious Matt Wake as Reece, the hotel concierge, interrupts the group with another knock on the door.

In addition to the comedic aspects, the level of drama is also executed well, with each of their individual issues intriguing and well-paced to not reveal anything too quickly. Subtle references are briefly made to problems or situations, that are slowly built into the wider storyline – it’s well layered, with a lot of interesting, varying side stories, without getting too bogged down in detail or overloaded. Sara’s inclusion into the storyline feels unnecessary however (through no fault of Koster who plays the part well), and the slightly overlong scene where she describes her work abroad and tries to reconcile with Harvey, interrupts the originally well-flowing dialogue, feeling shoehorned in to highlight a message rather than the otherwise very natural flow throughout the show. This scene halts the momentum slightly, and struggles to regain its previous zing as the show slowly wraps up each of the individual plot points.

Creating such detailed characters can be a hard task, but Taylor does this wonderfully, with each of the siblings especially, having a great balance between likeable and borderline annoying, much like any actual sibling relationship! The audience warm quickly to them all, and they wouldn’t feel out of place in a sitcom or TV drama. Reece, though technically a side character, unexpectedly stands out, as the neutral outsider that balances out the four. His chirpy personality, and underlying loneliness tugs at the heartstrings, impeccably performed by Wake who juggles the duality of his character to perfection.

The main theme of this enjoyable show is to disconnect from your devices and reignite real life skills and interpersonal connections, but the takeaway also focuses heavily on the brilliant complexities of personalities and the important warmth of familial relationships.

Runs until 9^th November 2024