J [a working title] is a short (less than an hour) play written by and starring Everleigh Brenner as J, who is heading to a funeral, travelling by bus.
When Jay (Per Carminger) gets on, this becomes a powerful two-hander. Just two chairs represent the set, and a voice-over (director Maria Cristina Petitti) announces the changes of scene and pace.
It’s all very energetic in delivery and conviction, but the choppy nature of the piece doesn’t always let us in.
Carminger becomes a variety of characters and performs a variety of tones and emotions in a piece that often feels like an exercise but always captures the fragmentary nature of grief.
J is trying to write a eulogy for her mother, the subject of the funeral,. She clutches a notebook through most of the play, whatever the scenes depict from her life.
In trying to capture the best of the mother, she remembers harsher times and difficult situations, the kind we brush under the carpet after death.
Brenner’s writing is full of surprises and challenges, taunting us to listen, reflect and deal with the rawness depicted before us.
It’s anger, sorrow, and loss all in one. It uses music and props to link material together, as if a stray thought has prompted a chain of memories that can’t be stopped.
I appreciated the intention if not completely the end product. The two performers are pushing themselves to make the most of the material, and have a strong chemistry together.
J [a working title] introduces a vibrant and left-field voice with the potential to move on to more focused long-form work. Here, for this production, with all its oddities and disruptions, a run time of just over 50 minutes feels right.
The filming for the livestream is just from one angle, so we are purely ‘spectator’ rather than being pulled into the action.
The sound could be clearer, but it was easy to follow the dialogue, even if it isn’t always clear which character is being depicted, especially when the words are delivered at volume.
An interesting piece, and I look forward to seeing what Brenner creates next.
J [a working title] was at The Space as is now available on-demand here.
3 stars.