Review: WE STARTED TO SING, Arcola Theatre
Photo credit: Alex Brenner
After being shut for two years by Covid, the Arcola Theatre officially reopened its quirky venue for the premiere of Barney Norris’ new play We Started to Sing last night.
The play tackles themes of family, loss and love with a stunning script which is supported by superb actors. Upon entering, audience members are welcomed by tunes from the 40’s and the thrust stage is set with simply a piano, along with a few wooden chairs. Based on Norris’ memories of his grandparents and parents, We Started to Sing is a beautifully written play that spans the course of three decades in its near 2-hour runtime.
The play opens with David Ricardo-Pearce playing the piano as David, a young father to two boys and a husband to his wife Fiona. Ricardo-Pearce is brilliant throughout the play, demonstrating with ease a perfect blend of humour and sadness. One of his specific scenes that stands out is with Robin Soans as Bert, since the situation onstage is one that many can, unfortunately, relate to.
Naomi Peterson is wonderful as the strong headed Fiona. We watch Fiona as she tries to hold everything together despite the many setbacks she faces. Peterson’s voice stands out, especially her rendition of ‘She Moved Through the Fair’ which brings many audience members to tears. Alongside Peterson is George Taylor as Rob, Fiona’s painfully awkward and kind-hearted second husband. From the moment Taylor steps onstage, the audience are forced to feel his shyness and inability to say what’s in his head. This contrasts perfectly with Peterson’s fieriness.
However, the standout actors in We Started to Sing have to be Barbara Flynn and Robin Soans as Peggy and Bert. Together, they carefully weave comedy and tragedy creating moments in the play that leave you laughing or crying. Bert is a witty and lovable character, but Soans really brings him to life with his comedic timing. Whether he’s streaming into stories about the war or talking about his brothers who have passed, you cannot take your eyes off of Soans. Likewise, Flynn embodies the warm and caring Peggy, David’s mother. Flynn and Soans have a lot of chemistry so during their scenes, you truly believe that they are this devoted couple who are perfectly content with spending their lives together.
Often, while the actors are singing or the piano is being played, projections are played on the back of the stage. They are family home videos that intertwine with the music and the acting, working effectively to make it all personal and real. This is due to the outstanding video design by Megan Lucas. Furthermore, the costumes are used to create the same effect. Though the costumes and set is relatively simple and plain, Frankie Bradshaw helps create this family with their matching colours and styles that vary when they grow apart, along with slight differences in set like the number of chairs to show that the family have moved. The sound by Jamie Lu plays a key factor in the play too. In one scene with David, as the tension rises, so does the volume of the birds then when he’s about to hit the climax in his monologue, everything stops. Small details like this are what make the performance as outstanding as it is.
Directed and written by Barney Norris, We Started to Sing is a different take on family life. Instead of embellishing the story with romances and happy endings, Norris tells it as it is. Just like in everyone’s family, there are disagreements, regrets, laughter and tears, which is what make the play truly special. The audience make connections with the characters, especially Bert and Peggy, then draw on their own experiences and how they may have been in similar situations. The honesty behind the script creates a piece of art that represents numerous families around the world. We Started to Sing is a perfect reopening for the Arcola Theatre and shines light on the reality of family life.
It’s brutally beautiful.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Daisy Lee
We Started To Sing plays at the Arcola Theatre until 18 June, with tickets available here.