What’s it all about?
You get three stories for the price of one in this collaboration between acclaimed young playwrights Tom Wells, Ella Hickson and Nick Payne. The first is the tale of an asthmatic Welsh teenage boy who seeks to fulfil his dream of passing GCSE PE by joining the girls on the netball court. While Wells’ contribution works more as a standalone piece, the two narratives that follow both have love and London in common. Hickson’s charts one man’s repeated attempts to get a girl’s attention on the bus, while Payne brings up the rear with a romance between two individuals who meet on the floor of a gents’ toilet.
Who’s in it?
Multi-talented goes some way to describe the skills of Jack Brown, Liam Gerrard, Iddon Jones and Katie Elin Salt, who bring this collaboration to life at Soho Downstairs. Not only do the four cast members intersperse their witty storytelling with impressive bursts of live music, they also move between instruments, demonstrating their enviable musical abilities on each.
Oh, and they can sing! In the words of the netball-loving Jonesy: “B*****ds!”
What should I look out for?
Ed Gaughan’s score – with heartfelt lyrics and winning tunes – which help the characters tell this trio of touching tales.
In a nutshell?
Three charming stories brought to life through tuneful melodies and madcap comedy make for an entertaining evening at Soho Downstairs.
Will I like it?
Joe Murphy’s energetic production is a slightly outlandish miscellany of music and comedy that doesn’t have any profound message behind it. Some may see this as a flaw; others will love it for exactly that reason. With a constant flurry of amused titters intersected with bouts of raucous guffawing, last night’s audience certainly found themselves in the latter category. Symphony is simply a lot of fun, and with a running time of an hour, it’s the very epitome of short and sweet.
Symphony is playing at Soho Downstairs until 7 December. You can book tickets through the venue’s website.