Back in the olden days when I was young, going to the cinema for a double bill was commonplace.
This week I had a flashback to those days as I watched two shows back to back in the theatre based at Suffolk New College.
The first was called Coppélia… in Search of Perfection.
Based on a ballet of the same name, this dance production glided before my eyes and gave my senses a twirl.
The story asked some big questions based around the obsession of many to look good because of the pressures of social media.
It also put the topic of cosmetic surgery in the mirror.
Imogen Fraser was the artistic director and created a nicely paced story filled with banging songs including a classical music version of Ed Sheeran’s Castle on the Hill. And like one of Ed’s other songs, this theatre piece was near perfect.
The second work was called Your Name is Dead. It was written by Elgan Rhys and directed by Kelly Fletcher and Imogen Fraser.
It is a collaboration piece between the college and a project called National Theatre Connections, a programme that gives established writers the chance to create new plays written for young people.
During Your Name is Dead, we get to spend 24 hours in the life of ‘A’ as she navigates through the challenges and joys of being young and trans.
Using a jigsaw as a metaphor, the pieces of A’s life are slowly being pieced back together amidst a backdrop of every human emotion where the main character is empowered to finally be who she really is – yet this empowerment is pitted against the uncertainty and reality of how people react.
Set in Wales and using the powerful Yma O Hyd (meaning ‘we are still here’) as a musical backdrop, this play had raw energy and a great cast – with a special nod to Kaycee Totten who showed power and vulnerability throughout.
The supporting players including Hannah Burman as Ceridwyn and an angry James played by Jacob Copper-Jeffries also stood out.
All actors and dancers must be applauded for confronting these topics with insight, compassion and grace.
By John Nice