Review: TO THE LETTER, Oram Mor
To The Letter is presented by Canonical Theatre, a Glasgow-based theatre company led by Elliot Comnene. The company are committed to developing and producing new writing in Scotland, with To The Letter being an entirely collaborative piece with seven emerging writers on the project; Charlotte Smith, Elliot Comnene, Jessica Massey, Jonas Laursen, Lexi Crockford, Rebecca Russell, and Thomas Witton respectively.
Together, the writers working with director Jan Gruca and assistant director Elliot Comnene, develop the story which follows two estranged sisters who stumble upon an abandoned post box at the side of the road. The sisters Jesse, played by Rachel Gilmour, and Morgan, played by Anna Coupe, uncover six letters which as they read are brought to life by the ensemble.
Each member of the ensemble gets their moment to tell the story of their letter, effectively integrating into the piece. The ensemble consisting of Megan Joy-Hillis, Paul Coletta, Rohanne Woods, Magnus Kelly, Kristupas Liubinas, and Cara Brown do well with their physical theatre to help retell the stories. However, the physical theatre and comedy used often overshadow the dialogue taking place on stage, causing key plot points to be missed. Equally, without the use of microphones, it is challenging to hear the actors over the continuous eerie soundscape and noise the ensemble makes.
Interestingly, the play utilises Brechtian techniques throughout, such as narrative interruptions, placards, and freeze frames. These tools help create a divide between real life and the letters. The attempt to incorporate the style is commendable, but there are instances where the choices made fall short. One example is the incorporation of microphones in Act Two which is rather jarring as the piece does not introduce them beforehand.
Considering there are seven different writers on the project, the writing styles merge successfully. Yet, some story beats seem rushed. The structure of Act One, with its six monologues connected by duologues, can become repetitive and somewhat tedious. The performance is also surprisingly longer than anticipated, formed of two acts. In Act Two, Lorna Calder and Jacqueline Jay Wilde finally make an appearance and the following act centres around their characters, whilst being interjected by Morgan in a series of monologues. Unfortunately though, the second act becomes disengaging for the audience. Perhaps if finessed into a straight-through 90-minute or 1-hour piece, the show may be more effective with the intentions still achievable.
With this only being the company’s second production, naturally, there is room for improvement. However, the incorporation of unique drama styles and structures by Canonical Theatre appears to be a positive development for Scottish Theatre. Overall the piece, if condensed, would lend itself well to an environment like the Edinburgh Fringe or similar. But for a two-hour runtime (including interval), there is minimal character development and a limited story arc sadly.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Catriona Lamb