Writer & Director: Adam Kinneen
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Lengthy & Meandering“
1.5 / 5
Turning 26 isn’t often the point of a midlife crisis, but for this dramatically nihilistic friendship group, it’s seemingly the beginning of the end. Excitement and meaning from activities they previously found fun like parties and sex, now see them upping the ante to try and extract something more from lifes opportunities.
The opening scene with River (Max Brennan) and Ruby (Frederick Russell) enthusiastically dancing and talking in a nightclub for Ruby’s birthday party is full of energy and fizzing with chemistry. The audience are immediately invested in the pairs friendship, as well as the potential of something more with the brief flirtation that simmers between their interactions. But, this glimmer of interest dissipates quickly, and the amped up energy is never reintroduced at any point in the narrative. Instead, lengthy, meandering chats about sex, drugs, growing old and feeling empty are at the focal point of the production, talked about monotonously for the 75-minute long first act, with very little pay off. The conversations aren’t witty, shocking, groundbreaking or very revealing – instead, they’re frustratingly mostly quite dull, and with the majority of the characters written to be so incredibly unlikeable, it’s hard to feel invested. In fact, the characters often make it feel like you’re stuck in the smoking area of a house party, with an annoying group of pretentious hipsters that are desperately trying to say something profound, but instead saying nothing at all.
The second act definitely has some more bite to it – Ruby’s chilled, easy-going, personable nature has been ripped away by addiction and his decline is masterfully portrayed by Russell. His friends are heartbroken and concerned – the empathetic River mourning his best friend and unsure how to help is filled with emotion and depth. On the other-hand, self-centered Bailey (Andi Bickers) and pompous Noah (Joseph Lynch) seem to be more infuriated that the friend that provided stability has left them, while cold, emotionless sibling Cleo (Nina Fidderman) is seemingly, confusingly barely affected. The stiff, friendship groups odd dynamic created by Kinneen aren’t that of a tight-knit unit – they often don’t gel together well at all, almost as though each character was written individually, then shoved together and forced into the storyline without much thought as to their actual place within the narrative.
The premise of pushing boundaries, exploring taboos and social norms is compelling, and while there are definitely flashes of this sprinkled throughout, it’s mostly stifled out by the rambling speeches, lack of tension and jarring personalities that overall makes this a struggle to enjoy.
Runs until 26th April 2025
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