Review: Subterrenea at Laurel’s Whitley Bay
Subterranea – Laurel’s, Whitley Bay
17th September 2024
Invited| Review by Stephen Stokoe
Photos: Benjamin Michael Smith
It has been a good long while since I have been to this astonishing venue relatively new to Whitley Bay. It offers a little of something for everyone including bars, nooks and crannies and ab upstairs performance space which is astonishing. The clever ways the technical teams utilise this intimate space never ceases to amaze me and tonight was no exception.
This evening’s performance was a kitchen sink drama set in the not to distant future, or 2029 to be more precise in which we meet the most adorable couple in Charlie and Sophie who are scratching together a living while maintaining a loving relationship amid a shortage of cash and amenities in their humble dwelling.
This narrative may sound familiar were it not set against the backdrop of a recent nuclear event which has forced the young couple to shelter in a now abandoned metro station below a seemingly desolate Newcastle. The opening sets a dystopian scene where there are regular proclamations from the powers that be to remain vigilant for further disruption and to be prepared to remain safe in their subterranean dwellings should the need arise. The tone of the messages was not dissimilar in tone to real life diktats issued by our own government in the early, dark days of the recent global pandemic.
Unbeknown to his wife, Charlie (Adam Donaldson) has lost his job and their meagre existence is going to get even tougher unless he takes an unpopular job with the authorities. He is very unwilling to do this as he would be seen as a ‘turner’ in the eyes of his friends in the carriages in the below.
Sophie (Natasha Haws) has a secret of her own in that she has just discovered that she is pregnant; a condition that is frowned upon by the establishment and met with measures which can only be described as draconian. In the face of the adversities husband and wife both turn to Sophie’s mother, the quite caustic and no nonsense matriarch, Jean (Judy Earl) for some straight talking advice.
That is as much of the plot I am prepared to divulge without running the risk of spoiling the show for anyone who has yet to see it.
The performances from everyone was outstanding this evening. The loving relationship between Sophie and Charlie was beautifully portrayed by Donaldson and Haws and in turn, their relationship with their mother (in law) Jean was believable and very sweet indeed. Earl’s monologue describing motherhood brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye, not only but also because my dear old mam is also called Jean.
There are some hard-hitting subject matters which are skilfully dealt with in this very imaginative and thoughtful script including loss, grief, fear and control which gives the audience pause for thought while also enjoying a tender and emotional love story. The script does not wallow in its messages whether they be positive or negative but allows the viewer to make their own judgements on the actions of all the players in the piece.
The set is two trucks which are manhandled by the ensemble who also act as fellow residents of the below. The nature of the venue does help with the claustrophobia of the piece but it I believe that the effect would be the same because of the very clever set, the lighting and the soundscape all of which are crucial to the over all piece.
The over-riding theme of the show is that to which everyone can identify – hope. I have to say that I was deeply moved by this beautifully crafted piece, the standard of the writing (Lucy Curry and Carl Wylie) and the imagination that has been put in to the direction (Lucy Curry and Paula Penman.) I particularly loved the repeated choreography of the getting up routine that Sophie and Charlie have developed partly through their love for each other but also due to necessity on account of their limited living space.
The scene changes were very slick indeed and the musical underscoring added to the claustrophobic nature of the piece. It is a technical job very well done indeed.
Charlie and Sophie’s love should be everyone’s relationship goal and we all need a Jean in our lives. Superb theatre – get your tickets now.
Subterranea runs at Laurel’s Whitley Bay until 28th September.