REVIEW: RAMONA TELLS JIM by Sophie Wu at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre 7-11 March 2023

‘a thing of beauty’ ★★★★

Ramona tells Jim something that pushes him to do something inconceivable. As older teenagers who meet for the first time, Jim (Callum Anderson) and Romona (Mariana Nunes) demonstrate the wide-eyed awkwardness of teen love wonderfully. (“I like you, Ramona, even though you’re massively flawed.”) Jim knows his crustacea (yes, creatures of the ocean). He just doesn’t understand relationships. And this one, with Ramona, is a fleeting yet memorable one.

Jim and Ramona’s moments as teenagers are the most enthralling scenes, at times tender and other times full of teenage hormonal fury. The scene that leads up to and includes their first sexual encounter is one I will never forget. It takes skill to portray that on stage.

The ‘thing’ that Ramona tells him is at the heart of the story and is what the narrative gets right. The social isolation that Ramona experiences as a teen has an impact on other people. Years later, when they meet again in their early 30s, they are confronted by this truth, by the difficult truth of what happened. But Pocahontas (Lucy Alexander) is there. Not that one. This one is a slightly high-strung, clingy, social-climbing 19-year-old who somehow makes you cringe and laugh and fall in love with her all at the same time. Her desire to experience things that she has only heard about, from eating shrimp in Spain to having a desk in an office, help you empathise with her despite her ridiculous expectations of her 32-year-old boyfriend and her sometimes ear-piercing demands. Three people deeply flawed, dearly in need of love, and amazing to watch.

The staging is simple with white sheets hanging down to provide a ‘backstage’; string lighting, and vine plants hanging over the sheets, with numerous glass jars in piles. Two adjoined, movable chairs with a blanket are all the furniture to be seen. Yet, the space goes from the craggy pools of water in the Scottish highlands to a 450 square foot flat to the place where a couple experienced their brief sexual encounter. Inventively designed, lighting helps in this, and upbeat music fills in the scene change pauses.

The writer, Sophie Wu, known as an actor, penned this play in 2017. She has created a true actor’s play, with witty and memorable dialogue, slightly psychotic characters, and outlandish moments. There are a few flaws to the story, but these are overshadowed by this capable cast. This ensemble has created a thing of beauty.

SOPHIE TELLS JIM

The Lion & Unicorn Theatre, Kentish Town

7th – 11th March2023   

Produced by Fleeting Theatre

Twitter @FleetingTheatre   

Cast and Creatives

Mariana Nunes - Ramona

Callum Anderson - Jim

Lucy Alexander – Pocahontas

Milo Mathews - Director

Sophie Wu - Writer

Written by Sophie Wu

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew