Stage Left, Melbourne 2002
Stage left review of SAY NOTHING
at Melbourne Comedy Festival, 28 March-21 April 2002
Two men are standing in a suitcase full of grass, wearing suits and facing each other. They start a long, rambling conversation in which one explains the location of his English home town. He starts with compass points and geography, then devolves into literary references, film, TV shows and local comedians. The dialogue keeps coming back to the starting point as he tries to clarify the lay of the land: “Catherine Cookson country, James Herriot, Brookside, Liver Birds, Lady Windemere’s Fan…” And you think: this must be the opening, someone else will walk onstage in a minute and they’ll move on. But no, the whole hour is spent with these gentlemen standing in the grassy suitcase, dialogue rolling along via different characters. And it’s quite brilliant.
The performers in question are David Woods and Jon Hough, otherwise known as Ridiculusmus. In Say Nothing they portray a Northern Ireland conciliator, Kevin, and a number of people he meets on both sides of the border. It’s an exploration of human nature and its nuances; each character is brought vividly to life by the actors’ voices and perfect timing. The militant caretaker, the obsessive B&B owner and other folk spring into life in a split-second, engaged in their endless dialogues with the frustrated Kevin. There’s a cyclical motif in all of the conversations: they go round and round, neither speaker really listening to the other or understanding their needs. In the end, the talk cancels out into nothing, hence the title.
What makes it entertaining is the minute observation of human mannerisms that informs every moment onstage. Usually we’re trapped inside this sort of roundabout, frustrating encounter; now we get the chance to observe it and understand. Each person has their own agenda and preconceived notions, constantly restating their own wants while ignoring the other’s. Could there be a more powerful summary of the forces behind Ireland’s sectarian divide?
Though it’s visually minimal, Say Nothing presents a rich world which takes form in the audience members’ imaginations. Its cyclical nature is fascinating and the duo triumph in demanding roles. There are laughs, though I’m not sure you could really define it as comedy. But it is excellent theatre. �
Reviewed by Tim Richards.
Related pages:
.. Evening Standard, London 2002 .. Edinburgh Guide, Edinburgh 2000