REVIEW: SIXTY-SEVEN by Isabelle Stokes at Lion & Unicorn Theatre 7-11 June 2022

‘The multi-talented pair behind Tiny Theatre Company know how to leave us exhilarated’ ★★★★

Opening with ‘Friday, I’m in Love’ by the Cure, Sixty-Seven is a duologue that feels like much more. Paired with an excellent soundtrack, including songs by Rusted Root, Taylor Swift, Neon Trees, and DNCE, there are pacy changes of scene, stand-up comedy, and hilarious imitations of nasty colleagues.

Two legal secretaries, Jules and Beth (Alexandra Brailsford and Olivia Roebuck), are colleague-friends who are figuring out what it means to be in your twenties and have your entire work life ahead, complete with intra-firm memos, gossip mongers, and the ubiquitous water cooler.

Julie (or Jools) is the vegan, the one with connections to a radical environmental group, and spends her weekends at protests. When Jools realizes how many years of work she has left ahead of her, she has a quarter-life crisis, while Beth deals with life through comedy. Yes, of the stand-up variety. In fact, Beth does a bit with the theatre audience to crack her jokes with a mike and a spotlight, adding a fun flair to the show. Meanwhile, Jools makes protest speeches to bring us back to reality. Beth is the one who keeps an up-beat attitude, the party girl. Their different approaches to life and work make their relationship interesting. How are they even friends?

With topical musical interludes throughout, such as the Bangles’ ‘Manic Monday’, at times it felt like a situational comedy. Like a sitcom, serious situations could be swept away rather quickly. When one character admitted to being pregnant, there were jokes cracked and then a speedy scene change to the last work Christmas party. While the acting is impressive and the scenarios downright funny, sometimes the scenes could feel like snapshots. When another character shared some mental health issues, there was only a hint of the larger concerns, and quickly went back to the lighter side of life, skimming the surface of the deep waters.

The staging was believable with the two desks pressed against each other, a great metaphor for the two friends. The transitions between scenes was admirable and the use of the space and sound technicality handled adeptly. The lighting was almost flawless; the show does have numerous scene changes!

The multi-talented pair behind Tiny Theatre Company know how to leave us exhilarated.  This is an immensely relatable and delightful piece, about how life and work and personal passions merge, that friendships hold us in place, and that we can make it through difficult and certain times. And, of course, it all culminated with an inspirational musical note: ‘Wade in the Water’ by the immortal Eva Cassidy.

Get back to work, Tiny Theatre Co.! We want to see more from you.

SIXTY-SEVEN by Isabelle Stokes

Lion & Unicorn Theatre

7-11 June 2022

Performed by Alexandra Brailsford, Olivia Roebuck

Directed by Tiny Theatre Co.

Sound & Lighting: Jess Parritt

Other Creatives: Jess Parritt

Presented by Tiny Theatre Company

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew