Review: MUSEUM PIECES, Tristan Bates Theatre

Upon entering the intimate Tristan Bates Theatre at The Actors Centre in Covent Garden, the audience is greeted with four empty chairs under primary coloured lights. The darkness of the studio immediately builds intrigue as we await the arrival of our four protagonists.

Museum Pieces consists of four monologues and tells the story of four individuals who are forever changed, perhaps scarred, by a reality television show in which the contestants appear naked. Following on from his successful production of Four Loyalty Cards, this marks writer and director Jamie Christian's second collection of monologues.

Reality TV has been a staple in UK entertainment since the turn of the century and shows little sign of dissipating. As more and more programmes are offered, the pressure to push the envelope and break boundaries increases. Naked Attraction, which Museum Pieces takes as its main influence, is an example of the kind of TV that was non-existent, unthinkable even, less than 20 years ago. Using this as a stimulus, Christian cleverly interweaves the lives of his four characters, each of whom have been impacted by their direct or indirect experience with this fictional reality TV show.

The acting is incredibly impressive. Each character has their own segment, but what's certainly of note is the fact that when not 'performing', each actor remains in character as they sit in the shadows.

Rob Eades opens the play as Charlie, a frustrated fitness fanatic who is going through a break-up. We soon learn that his girlfriend was a contestant on the 'naked' reality show. Eades offers a multi-faceted performance. Transitioning between high-energy boxing and pensive moments of vulnerability and tears, he displays a wonderfully rich range in a relatively short period of time.

Also multi-roling as his father on the phone, as well as impersonating his girlfriend, many laugh-out-loud moments are generated, and by the end of this segment the audience genuinely feel like they know this person. Eades is to be highly commended for such an absorbing performance.

Laura Shipler Chico as Patti also draws much laughter from the house with her deeply religious and quirky character. Chico's bouncy, almost childlike body language and facial expressions convey so much, and again we are well and truly invited into this character's world, laughing with but perhaps also at her as she shares her experiences with us.

The Stranglers' "Peaches" plays before we meet Mark, performed expertly by Steve North, establishing the character before he even utters his first words. North manages to venture towards creepiness without straying too far from being the relatable 'everyman'. Quickly building a rapport with the audience, he brings a slightly darker vibe to proceedings but is utterly believable in his role, his facial expressions and movements detailed and intricate. The actor is given strong, colloquial dialogue and he more than does the material justice.

Our final encounter is with Saul, portrayed by Edwin Nwachukwu Jr. His dialogue is real and raw, his anecdotes incredibly humorous, and once again we are able to relate to this character with a feeling of knowing him or people like him. This is not just testament to the acting, but of course Christian's script and his assured direction.

Mitchell Reeve's lighting adds to the immediacy of the production, making us feel like voyeurs whilst at the same time evoking a sense of the bright shiny lights of entertainment luring people into ultimate darkness. The sound is carefully considered, with brief musical interludes that relate to each character serving as a prelude to their monologues.

This is a well-written and engaging play that flows at a fast pace, which is sustained throughout. Its short running time (one hour) leaves us wanting more, but that can only be a good thing. Christian makes his point and gets out of there, leaving us to process our thoughts and reflect on what we have seen. For anyone in search of a good, thought-provoking laugh with stellar performances, head down to The Actors Centre before this limited run reaches its end on Saturday.

Museum Pieces at Tristan Bates Theatre until 5 October.

Photo credit: Jamie Christian

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