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Bear with me: Sun Bear @ParkTheatre

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If The Light House is an uplifting tale of survival, Sarah Richardson’s Sun Bear gives a contrasting take on this. Sarah plays Katy. We’re introduced to Katy as she runs through a list of pet office peeves with her endlessly perky coworkers, particularly about coworkers stealing her pens. It’s a hilarious opening monologue that would have you wishing you had her as a coworker to help relieve you from the boredom of petty office politics.  But something is not quite right in the perfect petty office, where people work together well. And that is her. And despite her protesting that she is fine, the pet peeves and the outbursts are becoming more frequent. As the piece progresses, maybe the problem lies in a past relationship, where Katy had to be home by a particular hour, not stay out late with office colleagues and not be drunk enough not to answer his calls. Perhaps the perky office colleagues are trying to help, and perhaps Katy is trying to reach out for help. It has simple staging

Mother and son: The Busy World Is Hushed @Finborough

Family and faith is at the forefront of The Busy World Is Hushed by Keith Bunin. The characters here have their faith tested, gained and lost over the course of the piece. It's having its European Premiere at the Finborough Theatre.

There's Hanna (Kazia Pelka), a widowed minister and bible scholar. She's received a recently discovered gospel and engages the help of writer Brandt (Mateo Oxley), to help her turn her research into a publication.

As they start work her only son Thomas (Michael James) returns home from a trip out in the wilderness. And Brandt and Thomas take an almost-instant liking to each other.

But Brandt has just discovered his father has a brain tumour. And Thomas is still searching for reasons why his father died before he was born.

So against a religious backdrop, the scene is set for a family drama. Hannah can offer wise words to Brandt, but can barely manage her relationship with her son Thomas. Brandt who has questioned his faith and facing the loss of his father, is looking for a safe space. While Thomas argues that his carefree approach to life is all part of God’s plan.

James and Oxley form a believable bond as the unlikely lovers of the piece. As Hanna, Pelka is a calm and thoughtful presence over the chaos of the men in the story.

Max Dorey’s design of the small study with stained glass windows adds to the intimacy of the piece.

The title of play comes from a line in a prayer by John Henry Newman. It's a prayer for rest at the end of the day. There’s enough drama going on to need a prayer for rest, but it’s a thoughtful and reflective piece.

Directed by Paul Higgins, The Busy World Is Hushed is at the Finborough Theatre until 25 November.

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎



Photos by Scott Rylander

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