Review: MILES, Original Theatre Online

Photo credit: Tom Grace

Miles, written by Eilidh Nurse and directed by Amelia Sears, is one of the winners of Original Theatre Company’s Originals Playwriting Award.

Set in Bobby’s struggling caravan park in Scotland, miles from anywhere, Janie is the only employee and she’s been stuck there longer than she would like to admit to herself. She’s also drinking more than she’d like to admit, but who actually cares? Ed, on the other hand, can’t pass the Tesco quiz, he won’t go out in the rain without his ‘cag in a bag’ and he can’t drive, or help who he’s related to. Ed does have a new job though…at Bobby’s caravan park.

Gary Lewis plays Bobby, the caravan park owner who is struggling to keep his business from closing. Janie, played by Hiftu Quasem, seems at home in the role, hiding her struggles from everyone around her.

It’s a witty script, with natural day to day banter setting the scene well before the past comes back to haunt them all. What is it that Janie is hiding? Where has Ed’s brother disappeared to? And why does him coming back to town fill everyone with such dread?

It’s a story of how you should never let your hopes and dreams disappear and how dealing with our past traumas helps to set us free to follow those dreams.

Tenderly funny and wonderfully optimistic.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

Miles is available to stream on demand here until 28 February 2023.