REVIEW: Labour’s Lost Love at The Lion and Unicorn 30 April - 4 May 2024

“a likeable cast, creative characters and some humorous moments”

Given the whimsical bit of wordplay in the title, it’s no surprise that Labour’s Lost Love has a Shakespearean feel to it, although it is more akin to the bard’s ‘As you like it’ than the comedy in which this play’s name is derived. This two-hander from Nomadomedy theatre group is a fun creation of music and puppetry which will make you smile but unfortunately struggles to deliver the impactful messages it sets out to convey.

The play opens with a musical number which sets the tone of what to expect in terms of the performance. Despite being devoid of props, the narration, music and outfits all suggest an element of surrealism which provide the forest setting with an enchanting magical overlay. When our human protagonist enters we are already prepared to journey with her into this realm and it seems perfectly normal that she should interact with a bee within the first few minutes.

The human, played by Goda Liutkutė, is on a hiking vacation which seems to have been forced upon her. She is clearly a workaholic who doesn’t spend any time unwinding or relaxing. As she travels further into the forest to find shelter she meets an array of animals who cause her to reflect on her hectic lifestyle by sharing their own situations and experiences. Liutkutė is charismatic in the role and brings an energy which is befitting of the situation.

Each animal is uniquely conveyed by Rebekah Dio using costumes and puppets, commendably created by Irina Anghel. Dio also uses dance and movement to bring to life each animal and give them each a distinct and entertaining personality. Her frog and heron are particular highlights of the production and are reminiscent in many ways of the characters that Alice meets in Wonderland, a tale which has similarities to this one.

Although there is an underlying story to the trajectory of the confrontations, the play doesn’t quite succeed in taking the audience along on the journey. Each encounter feels isolated and inconsequential to the plot. Our human character doesn’t seem to be growing or learning and the repercussions of what will happen should she not find the shelter she is looking for seem a little trivial.

There are certainly a lot of positive takeaways from the production including a likeable cast, creative characters and some humorous moments. Overall though it feels like it should perhaps still be in the workshop phase. There are a lot of good ideas which require some stitching and refinement which, along with a stronger central conflict, would make the play a little more adventurous and engaging.

Theatre Company: Nomadomedy @nomadomedy

Performer: Rebeka Dio

Performer: Goda Liutkutė

Director: Yuval Brigg

Costume and Puppets: Irina Anghel

Reviewed by John Montgomery