Following an epic 18-year run at the Edinburgh Fringe, White Room Theatre are back in Brighton after an 11-year absence, bringing their eclectic cast of wonderfully rich characters and dynamic storytelling to the Ironworks every weekend morning during the Fringe.
On arrival, we entered a cafe set-up and were greeted by a group of smiling hosts who directed us to our seats. Over the next 65 minutes, we got to enjoy breakfast – croissants, strawberries, Bird & Blend teas and Trading Post coffees – all while experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions through five beautifully crafted plays and some serious talent.
When you book, you choose from four ‘menus’ of 10-minute plays with different plays being performed at different times and dates over the course of the Fringe. We plumped for Menu One, which featured Gareth Brierley’s Nice People, William Knowelden’s Home, CJ Johnson’s Borys The Rottweiler, Lucy Kaufman’s Vintage and James McLindon’s Baggage.
The performers were all exceptional, creating depth of character in a very short space of time with no props and minimal costumes. Together they were able to construct different worlds, skilfully drawing in the audience in each mini-play with everything from laugh-out-loud comedy to edge-of-your-seat tension and punchy performances. There were moments of poking fun at relationships and the quick assumptions we make when we see couples together, juxtaposed with more thoughtful character reflections about loss and death. And in Borys The Rottweiler, we were fortunate enough to meet Borys, an emotion-laden performance that had us on the verge of tears.
The format of the production creates a pace which keeps both the audience and performers on their toes, and an energy which is difficult to shake off. The common thread running through all of the vastly different playlets was an invitation to look at the world differently and challenge your assumptions.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a show born out of the shortening attention spans of the TikTok generation, White Room Theatre have created something special that will leave you mulling over what you’ve seen long after you’ve finished your breakfast.
Menu One at 10am & Menu Two at 11.30am on 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th May; from £12
Menu Three at 10am & Menu Four at 11.30am on 17th, 24th, 25th, 26th May; from £12
Ironworks Studio, 30 Cheapside, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4GD
Book tickets
