Crowbait first started in 2011 in Maine and has since then grown in strength, with Crowbait UK starting in 2022 by one of the founders, April Singley. Crowbait UK now offers workshops, classes and monthly meetings to engage the creative community of Portsmouth. Last year, they were awarded a grant from Arts Council England to help provide this.
All of the plays were directed by Bradley Barlow, a local creative, whose direction was fantastic. The direction felt fresh and original, and it was a joy to watch on stage. A big shout out to Bradley Barlow and April Singley, who are both big believers in the Portsmouth creative community, and it’s nights like these that remind us how talented the community is.
First up was Agony, which is a fantastic and hilarious piece of writing from Kia Wilson, whose storytelling captivates the audience. There was fantastic comedic timing between Kyle Neale and Jordan Hiscot,t who had the audience laughing from the get-go go from their facial expressions to their physical. A partnership that was a joy to watch. As someone who suffers from writer’s block, this is a piece that had me laughing but also thinking about that unfinished play I need to finish.
Buttons is a beautifully written piece by Christine Lawrence about a woman reminiscing about her life through buttons. Sara Fairclough who played Anna was a joy to watch from her moments where she had the audience laughing to those final moments of the realisation that she is forgetting her life. A reminder to hold onto those memories and cherish them.
An Interview written by Sophie Nickerson, this short play had the audience laughing and thinking about how far technology can go. Brilliantly acted by Rebecca Godden and Katherine Joy Evans, who play the ‘twins. Their on-stage partnership carried the script along, inviting the audience in. Mr P, played by Joseph Scatley, played the dreaded interviewer. He helped carry the jokes along into the final moments of the play. A great look at how we should be more careful around technology.
Next up was Zero One Twenty Three. The Chernobyl Disaster is an event that most people will know about. Iain Banachowicz’s writing was sensitive and brought the audience into the disaster through an intimate look at one of the workers’ accounts, giving them a chance to speak. Alec Slade played Leonid, and from the moment he stepped on stage, he captivated the audience with a harrowing but engaging account about what happened. Kyle Neale sensitively narrated the final moments, informing the audience about the cover-up. This is a piece that informs and tells a shocking story that makes me learn more.
To finish the first act, we had a piece of debut writing called Sound Track from Gail Oakley. The COVID Pandemic is forever marked in our lives. It told us a lot about who we are and reminded us to hold those close to us. This short piece written by Gail Oakley is a beautiful, emotional and hopeful account of how this pandemic affected families all over the world. One of those families is Gail’s. Told through the real voice notes from her family, it added to the emotional depth of this piece. The ensemble played by Francesca McCrohon, Jago Chung, Chris Allison, Katherine Joy Evans and Sara Fairclough all played their characters sensitively to further enhance the storytelling, which did give me goose bumps and tears in my eyes throughout. A beautifully written story about the true love of a family in their darkest days.
After the interval, we were quickly entertained by The Greatest Generation, written by Graham Brown. It had me laughing and reflecting at the same time. The script was fast paced, hilarious and fresh. It was executed finely. All of the Generations played by Alec Slade, Jago Chung, Katherine Joy Evans, Francesca McCrohon, Chris Allison and Joseph Scatley were in perfect sync with each other and moved the story along. A brilliantly written script that had me thinking about reaching out to the generations before and after me to see if we can make sense of this world.
Next up was What Shall We Watch? By Elliot Sergejew. This play explores a couple, fantastically played by Rebecca Godden and Jordan Hiscott, who had great chemistry together, looking for a new TV series after getting bored with the really bad series they had been watching. The play is very relatable and very funny. The audience loved it by the sound of their laughter. Through the script, we find out more about the couple and their relationship, and it is a joy to watch. A thoroughly enjoyable and engaging script that had me crying with laughter.
After that, we watched Catching the Plane, written by Margaret Jennings. The fast pace of the script worked well with the comedy written allowing the audience to laugh. There was funny, engaging physical comedy from Kyle Neale as Jack, the son whose task was to make the surprise party happen, was fantastic. Excellent performances from Francesca McCrohon and Alec Slade as the parents. The cast worked well together, and the hilarious twist at the end had the audience in stitches.
Next up was Body, which was written by Jessica Davis, whose writing was delicate and original. This is her first time writing a play, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. Woman was beautifully played by Katherine Joy Evans. The writing was harrowing and emotional. The message of the play is very relevant to the society we live in. The setting of the clothing behind the Woman was a brilliant choice and further added layers to this incredible writing debut.
The last offering of the night was Cold Water Therapy which was hilariously written by Graham Brown. Jordan Hiscott had everyone laughing from the moment they stepped on stage. Sara Fairclough played the reserved mother and Rebecca Godden played the daughter wanting to make a positive change. They both worked perfectly well together. The script was fast paced and funny. A reminder to jump in the cold water and don’t be scared.
Overall, a brilliant evening that reminds everyone that Portsmouth is full of talented creatives who all want to work together to create theatre. Whether you want a new hobby or an experienced actor or writer come to Crowbait and let theatre change your life. I know I can't wait to be back at Crowbait!
For more information, please go to https://crowbait.co.uk/