Reviewed by Gemma at Park Theatre
Bitter Lemons is a compelling play; on its surface depicting a common yet taboochallenge that many women face, and beneath revealing the coexisting strength & fragility that lies within us all. Layer that with family complexities, the additional pressures of being a woman working in a man's world, a minority group being singled out for diversity and fighting to reach the top in a competitive industry, and you're on your way to understanding what Bitter Lemons is all about. Two women from different worlds living parallel experiences for a short while, connected by a common adversary- themselves. Bitter Lemons allows you to experience the rawest version of its characters' thoughts upon realisation of their pregnancy. Bought to life in a way that makes you feel as though you are listening to your best friend.
This helped in no small part by brilliant performances from both Chanel Waddock and Shannon Hayes; working in perfect parallel with each other to depict two contrasting personalities fighting similar battles. Waddock captures the driven,passionate nature of her character perfectly. Performing with an intensity that provokes certainty in who she is; yet reserving enough energy to allow insight into rare moments of vulnerability ordinarily kept within herself. Hayes performs with more gentle touch that offers truth to her character. Expertly utilising transitions between the mic and her own projection to portray a timid outward persona with raging emotion & passion within, only surfacing when pushed to the brink. Both actors work the performance space well to connect with the audience on all sides of the stage and depict additional characters with enough precision that their physical presence is not missed. Within the play both characters discover their limits & capabilities when under strain to balance external influences with their own mind. Which begs the question, where do repetitive outside opinions stop and your own mind start?
Use of a minimal set ensures fullconcentration on the focal characters and their connected journeys. Particular use of the stage symmetry and two identical boxes is effective in portraying the women looking at themselves in a mirror despite physically looking at the other women. A prominent image of the plays focus on connection and unforeseen similarities. This is also highlighted well in the structure of the play, regularly switching between character perspectives to encourage the audience to draw parallels and feel equally invested in each situation. Consistent use of the mics to portray different characters however, breaks away from the focal monologues ensuring audience engagement and offering an otherworldly quality to the external voices in the characters worlds.
Such external voices provoke thought into the concept of facade vs reality. What version of ourselves we present to others because it's what we believe they want or need. And how the battle between this and our inner persona effects the person we become and the decisions we make. The audience are encouraged to consider the factors contributing to each major decision. Particularly as a woman, with the biological challenges faced and external expectations of a pregnancy. What happens when your body prevents you from succeeding? When the mental toll of a life changing decision seeps into your professional life? How do we battle ourselves to stay on top...and what is the price?
The intensity of the narrative lends itself well to the intimate setting of the Park90 theatre, allowing the audience to be fully immersed in the characters' stories. With muted lighting in the performance space and spotlights on the focal character during monologues, it is impossible to draw your attention away from what is unfolding on stage. This said, it would be interesting to see how the play would translate on a larger scale in venues with a higher audience capacity.
Many elements of the narrative were very relatable and the script was masterfully written to capture a moment in two opposing peoples lives that, if not personally relatable in situation, was emotionally captivating. The revelation of a potential family connection at the end of the play worked well as a device to conclude the narrative and draw a direct connection between the characters. However, the ambiguity of this paired with exposure to but lack of exploration of factors impacting the characters individual lived experiences such as romantic and professional relations and potential racial discrimination leave you questioning not only the characters lives, but your own. A truly powerful, thought provoking piece of theatre.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Bitter Lemons is a compelling play; on its surface depicting a common yet taboochallenge that many women face, and beneath revealing the coexisting strength & fragility that lies within us all. Layer that with family complexities, the additional pressures of being a woman working in a man's world, a minority group being singled out for diversity and fighting to reach the top in a competitive industry, and you're on your way to understanding what Bitter Lemons is all about. Two women from different worlds living parallel experiences for a short while, connected by a common adversary- themselves. Bitter Lemons allows you to experience the rawest version of its characters' thoughts upon realisation of their pregnancy. Bought to life in a way that makes you feel as though you are listening to your best friend.
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| Chanel Waddock and Shannon Hayes. Photo by Alex Brenner |
Use of a minimal set ensures fullconcentration on the focal characters and their connected journeys. Particular use of the stage symmetry and two identical boxes is effective in portraying the women looking at themselves in a mirror despite physically looking at the other women. A prominent image of the plays focus on connection and unforeseen similarities. This is also highlighted well in the structure of the play, regularly switching between character perspectives to encourage the audience to draw parallels and feel equally invested in each situation. Consistent use of the mics to portray different characters however, breaks away from the focal monologues ensuring audience engagement and offering an otherworldly quality to the external voices in the characters worlds.
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| Shannon Hayes. Photo by Alex Brenner. |
Such external voices provoke thought into the concept of facade vs reality. What version of ourselves we present to others because it's what we believe they want or need. And how the battle between this and our inner persona effects the person we become and the decisions we make. The audience are encouraged to consider the factors contributing to each major decision. Particularly as a woman, with the biological challenges faced and external expectations of a pregnancy. What happens when your body prevents you from succeeding? When the mental toll of a life changing decision seeps into your professional life? How do we battle ourselves to stay on top...and what is the price?
The intensity of the narrative lends itself well to the intimate setting of the Park90 theatre, allowing the audience to be fully immersed in the characters' stories. With muted lighting in the performance space and spotlights on the focal character during monologues, it is impossible to draw your attention away from what is unfolding on stage. This said, it would be interesting to see how the play would translate on a larger scale in venues with a higher audience capacity.
Many elements of the narrative were very relatable and the script was masterfully written to capture a moment in two opposing peoples lives that, if not personally relatable in situation, was emotionally captivating. The revelation of a potential family connection at the end of the play worked well as a device to conclude the narrative and draw a direct connection between the characters. However, the ambiguity of this paired with exposure to but lack of exploration of factors impacting the characters individual lived experiences such as romantic and professional relations and potential racial discrimination leave you questioning not only the characters lives, but your own. A truly powerful, thought provoking piece of theatre.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bitter Lemons run at Park Theatre until Saturday 14th September 2024. Tickets are available from https://parktheatre.co.uk/event/bitter-lemons/
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| Chanel Waddock. Photo by Alex Brenner |
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