Review: MISCONNECTIONS by Nicolas Ridley at White Bear Theatre 7 - 11 June 2022

‘exhibits a mastery in the art of keeping the viewers on their toes’ ★★★

‘Misconnections’ explores the rifts created when historic relationships come undone by secrecy and lies. The first two plays unravel farcically, spinning to their inevitably comic conclusions. They are light and replete with Radio 4 humour, or the kind of gags made by Maureen Lipman and Giles Brandreth on celebrity Gogglebox. The fact that I only really know those two from the Friday night TV show, and not for their previous esteemed careers, may explain my lasting feelings about Misconnections: The play is an enjoyable watch for an older audience (I’m 22).

In the first of the trio, ‘Double Bubble’, Gina invites Lois for coffee. The pair haven’t seen each other for a while, leaving the audience with questions unanswered. This reluctance to immediately reveal information is perhaps writer Nicolas Ridley’s greatest skill. In all three plays he exhibits a mastery in the art of keeping the viewers on their toes.

While the tone of all three plays is light and humorous, the more sombre idea that deceit and betrayal produce distinct winners and losers, drips from the first section into the second.

In ‘Gardening Leave,’ a leather chair is swapped for the outdoor café seating of the previous play. We’re now in a West End members club where Bob, an extravagant upper-class man who’s out of work, thinks he’s meeting Tom, a man Bob believes will help him “get back in the saddle.”

The trouble is, Bob’s cornered the wrong Tom and his ‘can’t-get-a-word-in-edgeway’ personality won’t let Tom explain his new acquaintance’s error. This Tom is just trying to meet up with a lady friend. More spins ensue from this basis of cross purposes, mistaken identity and general confusion. Will either get what they want?

The third and final play is the best of the lot. It was afforded more time and allowed to properly develop, granting it an emotional weight which its two forerunners lacked.

We are dropped into a family home where, after 20 years of marriage, Tom is packing his bags, leaving Suzie for a younger woman. Unfortunately, their beloved cat, Titus, has apparently gone walkabout. As Suzie explains, “he’s an indoor cat with sporadic outdoor tendencies.”

The added concerns about Titus (the cat) elevates the third play above the others, bestowing upon it an emotional resonance the other two may have lacked. Indeed, ‘Titus Returns,’ has the ingenuity and wit of an ‘Inside No.9 episode,’ just without the horror and the gore.

The three plays work well together as a coherent unit. Affairs, friendships, soured love-life, as well as loves that can be resurrected, combine to make this trio of short plays engaging and interesting viewing.

MISCONNECTIONS - A Trio of Short Plays

Written by Nicolas Ridley

Directed by Sarah Lawrie

Presented by Pack a Punch Players

Running from June 7^th-11^th at The White Bear Theatre, Kennington

Box Office

Cast:

Stephen Omer, Dee Sadler, Fiona Tong and Michael Duran

Reviewed by Danny Shaw