All I knew about this new play, Stories for Boys, by Kieran Barry, going in was that it was a comedy about death, running 90 minutes without an interval.
In a hot and sticky Drayton Arms Theatre, the players assemble in an abstract mime of driving a car. What we see and hear here and immediately after is important to the play as a whole.
Alongside various vignettes about death and art, a story of a donkey (Florence Dobson) affianced to a land turtle unfolds on their wedding day. We hear about the importance of language and of making the right choices in the short time we have.
Much of Stories for Boys is absurdist, impenetrable, and confusing. A parade of characters in black (Adam Barlow, Louis Blomfield, Samuel Ferrer, Thelma Solea) act as chorus or collaborator in the eternal story of to be … or not.
The nature of death is presented as a conundrum, choice, or challenge. Whether we meet an executive tired of achieving everything, a yoga class that fails to grasp the basics, or Death herself, Stories for Boys asks questions we cannot answer.
In the meantime, the Donkey and the servant Fish (Agatha Elwes) navigate a difficult connection, culminating in a shadow puppet show. Shakespeare lines and famous last words from a variety of sources are sprinkled throughout the show.
Not everything comes together until the final scene, which can lead to frustrating stretches of head-scratching where the play appears to be chasing its own tail. The runtime feels slightly excessive, with perhaps a 10-15 cut needed or a much faster pace.
There are some wonderful moments threaded through the piece, with the Donkey and the Fish story being one, and the officious chronicles of death being another.
The cast are committed to the off-beat nature of the show, with director Hope Wishart marshalling a script that wanders from Kant to stalkers, parallels and words unstated.
Stories for Boys has some wonderful ideas, and I enjoyed the performance of Blomfield in the role of the clown and fool of the piece. This is a clever show that reaches into matters of philosophy, passion, and the passing of life, but needs a trim and focus to truly get there.
I’m giving it 2.5 stars in its current form, but will be intrigued to see where it goes next.
Stories for Boys is at Drayton Arms Theatre until 20 Jun.
Photo credit: Erika Sviderskyte