REVIEW: TEA LEAVES at Old Red Lion Theatre (FreshFest) 8 – 10 February 2024

‘tall tales and the charm of a blossoming romance’ ★★★

Taro lives alone and never leaves his flat. As an agoraphobe, he’s checked out of any social life. Instead , he surrounds himself by plants, all named after deceased relatives or former friends and lovers. Steeped in memories of the past, the only two people Taro sees are nosy neighbour, P.I.P who pops upstairs with his post and his case worker, Daphne who regularly ensures he – and the plants – are okay. We soon learn Daphne too, is stuck and stranded in her life. Slowly, awkwardly these two isolated individuals begin to form a connection.

Tea Leaves, a one-hour production (with no interval) speaks to the pain of isolation and disconnection in contemporary life. Anna Rastelli’s direction is mediative and makes great use of Pinteresque pauses. While not quite engulfing the audience, they are long enough to transfer a feeling of discomfort and all that remains unsaid. The sound design by Yasmine Dankwah does a great job of conveying the intrusions of the outside world with an insistent, rude door buzzer that gets louder with every jab. Between scenes, a plaintive female vocal evokes heartache, sorrow and regret.

Debut writer Claudia Fielding performs Daphne with comedic timing and droll, ironic delivery. Despite working for the council and having meetups with friends, her veneer of cheery efficiency belies her sad, lonely life. Taro played by Callum Cronin, is socially out of practice, a shuffling, shadowy figure that speaks hesitantly, his powers of conversation somewhat diminished (despite regular conversations with his dead mum). If Tea Leaves sounds like hard work, there are plenty of laughs in this play too with tall tales and the charm of a blossoming romance.

Will Taro leave his home?’ Will Daphne persuade him to step out and engage with the world again? And will Taro be able to exorcize the ghosts that have made him a prisoner in his own home? The recurring appearance of a cormorant, which appears as a puppet, guided by Felicity Moore (who also plays P.I.P) has both narrative and symbolic significance. Birds, a symbol of freedom, are something Taro has always loved. While some elements of the play remain a little confused, (the poisonous serum lost me) Tea Leaves offers an absorbing mediation on loss, grief, quiet courage and human connection.

TEA LEAVES at Old Red Lion Theatre (Part of FreshFest) 8 – 10 February 2024

Written by Claudia Fielding. Directed by Anna Rastelli

Reviewed by Nilgin Yusuf