Lunch by Steven Berkoff

Closing Time

2007-07-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Last night saw the last performance of Lunch at the Crescent Theatre, and it was both a happy and sad moment. Colin and Sonia saved the best till last, and once again the audience were really involved. I would like to thank Ian Thompson the director of the Crescent, Linda Arrowsmith for making everything run smoothly and doing a great deal of leg - work, and the backstage crew who made everything look and sound fantastic. I couldn't have hoped for more dedication and energy than what Colin and Sonia brought to this challenging piece. They have been amazing from Day 1. But I would especially like to thank everyone who came to see the show throughout its run, and for those who wrote reviews - I think everyone enjoyed the experience. We will return...

Review of Lunch!

2007-07-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

Berkoff is a notoriously difficult playwright to stage well; the motives of his protagonists are typically complex, his wordplay virtuosic, his plays are physically demanding for the actors involved. This production, directed by Lauren Collins at the Crescent theatre in Birmingham benefits from a paring down of the more physical aspects of the piece in favour of a recreation of the everyday. The theatre is surrounded by canals, office blocks and apartments; this haunting little drama could be taking place on any bench under any one of them. The work concerns two strangers who meet during their lunch hour and seem both compelled and repelled by one another’s games and advances.

Colin Simmonds plays Tom with acute sensitivity; an oxymoron of both implicit tenderness and seething anger. His sexual desire is at once disturbing yet familiar, his comic timing often immaculate - ‘Her buttocks are sailing onto my hand, like a tea clipper on its maiden voyage bound for her Antipodes.’ Berkoff’s language at its best is darkly surreal, acerbic, vulgar, yet strangely touching. He describes the dark feelings we all have felt. Simmonds displays an obvious delight in the sumptuous wordplay and has created a character seedy and menacing yet oddly likable. From his sotto voce opening ‘she’s beautiful… who is she waiting for?’ there is little to indicate just how frightening Simmonds can become - when he looses his temper at Mary’s game playing his voice explodes with frustration, his face contorted like a demonic child. Sonia Knightley’s Mary is notable for forever teetering on the edge between attraction and disgust for Tom. Bitter, world - weary, her face is pained with disappointment. Her final monologue in which she speaks of her husband protecting her from GBH and ‘gang bang angels leather winged’ is surely disingenuous. Is it just such excitement that deep down Mary craves?

In Berkoff, intentional vulgarity sits cheek by jowl with passages of poetic clarity, allowing characters to reveal the most painful and ugly aspects of their lives. In Lunch, one of Berkoff’s finest small pieces, we see a black comedy of errors that is as universal as it is bizarrely peculiar. Animal attraction, talking the talk, coming to terms with clandestine desires. But although the play is about the possibilities of language, it also deals with the ultimate impossibility of language as a vehicle to express our most fundamental of desires. However much Berkoff spins a silken web of words, one can never escape the fact that behind them lies an unintelligible scream. This is a rare opportunity to see Lunch finely acted and intelligently directed. The play has two more performances on Saturday July 14th.

Patrick Corser

Who is She Waiting for...

2007-07-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

The show is going from strength to strength! Colin and Sonia continue to tease ever finer nuances from the Berkoff script which seems ever more acutely attuned to the characters inner feelings. It is terrific to experience what the audience can bring to the event as well; on Tuesday, people were on the edge of their seats for Sonia's character Mary - sometimes cowed, often defiant against Colin's terryifying Tom. Tonight, the audience were equally gripped - just before the sex scene they let out an almost imperceptible gasp of horror and excitement that sent a shiver up my spine.. With only two performances to go on the 14th July, it can only get better!

The Excitement of the First Night

2007-07-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

Nothing can quite beat the feelings and anticipations that come with an opening night. Both Colin and Sonia arrived backstage with plenty of time to spare but before they knew it beginners were being called! The house was full of eager theatre-goers ready to see what Berkoff and our performance had in store for them. It was a real treat to see Colin and Sonia really work with the audience and give an outstanding performance. With the second performance only a day away I can't wait to watch how their performances develop.

Today's The Day

2007-06-30T05:28:00.000-07:00

With only a few hours 'till the first performance excitement is in the air. Both Lunch and The Appollo of Bellac's dress rehearsal ran without a snag last night. Even better news is that tickets for tonights performance are selling out! Tickets for the other nights are going quickly too - this is a performance not to be missed - so don't miss out!

1 DAY LEFT TILL THE BIG DEBUT

2007-06-29T02:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the Dress Rehearsal and I'm feeling calm. Things seem to be in place and, fingers crossed, all will go well tonight and tomorrow. We had one quick rehearsal last night to tweak a few things and now I just can't wait to see all that Sonia and Colin can really do. It should be an intense show and a great one!

3 Days To Go

2007-06-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Saturday is Opening Night! We had the Tech last night and I realised that this is the point where all Colin and Sonia's hard work really begins to pay off. With the bench finally, and kindly, constructed by Ian Thompson; it was a matter of putting lighting, sound and actors together. Thanks to the technical team's efforts, it looked incredible. My aim in the set design is to be as simple as possible. Come to the show and you will see what I mean! The language and story is the key and that's what I want every audience member focusing on. Two more rehearals now and the show will be in full swing!

5 days and counting...

2007-06-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the last rehearsal of Lunch before Tech tomorrow and we were able to take some last minute photos as well! Both Colin and Sonia are now fully in character, lines memorised and props almost completely available. Tech should be pretty straightforward as there are only two cast members and neither ever leave the stage! How about that for pressure for them though! Saying that, they are up to the challenge!

You were waiting for me...yes you were

2007-06-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Berkoff's Lunch really is a joy to direct. Two powerful and expressive actors like Colin and Sonia can tease every emotional nuance from their characters. Berkoff's playfullness with language, and the underlying rhthmic energy in the piece grew with every rehearsal. It wil be equally fascinating to see how the performance expands and alters when performed to audiences at the Crescent.

2007-06-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Well, today was the final rehearsal before next week... a scary thought but also very exciting! Colin and Sonia both really worked at their characters and did a great job at the final run-through of the week. Even more exciting is that http://www.iainfisher.com/berkoff/berkoff-news.html has posted our play's details! Thanks again Iain!

Colin and Sonia search for inspiration

2007-06-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

Colin and Sonia continue to work off-book, preparing for the performance in nearly a week's time!

Welcome

2007-06-18T13:44:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the opening of Lunch's first blog site! With two weeks till the first performance rehearsals have been exciting and packed full of intense work. Berkoff's writing has proved to be a real pleasure to direct and I can't wait till the show goes live...