Review: SEAN AND DARO FLAKE IT 'TIL THEY MAKE IT, Traverse Theatre

Sean and Daro Flake It 'Til They Make It is a new play written by Laurie Motherwell and Directed by Robert Softley Gale.

Sean (Sean Connor) is at his mother's funeral when his childhood best friend Daro (Cameron Fulton) approaches him with a business idea. Sean had to leave university when his mum took ill and he had assumed he would go back, but this offer changes things. Taking a loan out against the flat his mother owned and he has inherited, the lads buy an ice cream van.

Daro has done his research. They can make a 300% markup on soft serve ice cream and earn a nice profit but the speech that really sways Sean is his inspirational monologue about the joy that ice cream brings to all kinds of people throughout their lives. It's an unexpectedly wholesome tale as the pair stick to ice cream and confectionary, even in tough times when they could have turned to dodgy dealings to get by. A working-class trope that I'm pleased the writer didn't go with.

Motherwell's script is brilliant and is brought to life by an exceptional pair of actors. Connor is perfect as the broken-hearted young man who doesn't know quite what to do with his life and Fulton is giving it full-on cheeky chappie with an endless sense of adventure. The boys are young to be running a business and don't quite know what they're doing but they have entered into this with the optimism of children fulfilling an epic dream. Who wouldn't want to spend their days at the beach selling ice cream to excited kids with their best pal?

It's always a joy to see a deeper portrayal of male friendship but particularly such a funny and tender one. Sean and Daro Flake It 'Til They Make It is surprisingly moving and Daro is brilliantly insensitive at times. The writing is very clever and the performers have been perfectly cast- you can't help but root for the Whippy Bros.

Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

To post a comment, you must register and login.