REVIEW: THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller at Canal Café Theatre 2 – 4 February 2023

‘Brimmer-Beller’s performance is smart and nicely under-stated’ ★★★

Having already spent far too much valuable time this week in ATG ‘ticketing hell’ to try and get to see the much lauded Almeida Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire in the West End, it felt timely to be asked to visit the charming Canal Cafe Theatre in west London to see a show where the aforementioned Tennessee Williams is very much front and centre.

An up-and-coming theatre director - played by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller, also the writer and co-director - is summoned by a gregarious and stressed artistic director (Esmée Cook) to be told that his re-imagining of Streetcar needs, well, a further re-imagining. With the assistant producer - played by Andrea Gatchalian - not entirely on board and having (seemingly) a prior level of intimacy with the director, this is a neat three-handed set up.

What Brimmer-Beller has, seemingly, sought to present is a satirical and timely look at how and if creativity should be stifled or re-thought out in the face of changing times and changing views - and from an over-arching voice. It’s almost Mamet-esque at times and at around 50 minutes fairly fizzes along. To my mind, and despite some slightly hammy over-acting early doors, the play doesn’t go far enough in the points it wants to make and you’re left rather dis-satisfied and questioning ‘what was the point’?

Indeed, we are not wholly privy to the changes that have been requested, if the play is asking us to consider what it takes to stay relevant in the modern theatre landscape (their words, not mine) then surely we need that information and this could have driven a more direct and ‘in your face’ piece.

However, Brimmer-Beller’s performance is smart and nicely under-stated and he is clearly a directorial talent with an interesting raft of work via Black Bat Productions. There are some nice lines, the inter-play between the three actors is well rehearsed and natural, and it was time well spent - unlike the 2 hours I spent online earlier in the week……I may, indeed, have to rely on The Kindness Of Strangers….

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

Produced by Black Bat Theatre

https://www.blackbat.uk  

Writer: Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller 

Directors: Michael Zwiauer, Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller 

Producer: Maddy Chisholm-Scott 

Performers: Andrea Gatchalian, Esmeé Cook, Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller

Reviewer: Paul Maidment

Paul had a long career at the BBC where he ran a number of commercial / digital businesses and he now consults to the creative content sector. His love of theatre came from his wife whom he met at university and he has been attending shows ever since. In 2021/22 Paul was a member of The Olivier Awards public panel which re-enforced his belief in theatre as the most exciting and engrossing cultural medium.