Farce, Theatre of the Absurd and Black Comedy are the three genres of plays for this year’s Young and Hungry Festival of New Theatre. While the writing of plays is no easy task at the best of times, these three genres are just about the hardest to carry off successfully particularly in a one act form.  

Trashbag is a Black Comedy about a hellish party at which a group of twenty-something year-olds all behave like obnoxious, self-absorbed American teenagers in the movies. 

It is graced by a striking setting (Moema Gregorzewski) of a stylish living room that slowly gets trashed by the party-goers. The play has its comic moments and some funny one-liners but we have met all the characters before in similar situations.  

It does, however, posit the idea that parties aren’t all they are cracked up to be. 

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We have all been to, or hosted, a party we would rather forget. Something is off from the start. You’re too early/late, too drunk/not drunk enough and before you know it the whole night is a write off and you just want to take your pants off and relax with a pie. 

Trashbag is a play about this kind of party – for all of its guests.

Maddy (Georgia Pringle) is throwing a party and flatmate Otto (Matthew Crooymans) is being less than helpful with preparations when Chris (Kieran Charnock) arrives. He is super drunk and let’s slip that he’s invited Eric (Christopher Watts) – Maddy’s ex to the party. Maddy is understandably not so keen on this news. The party hasn’t even started and she already has her fair share of disasters on her hands and it only gets worse from there.

Otto has to look after Johanna (Kate Skinner) the daughter of his Mum’s work mate. Johanna is a bit of an outsider and succeeds in executing many a faux pas when meeting Otto and Mandy’s friends. 

Drew (Eleanor McKitterick) has just been dumped and clearly isn’t over it. David / Krum (Nick Rowell) may not be quite dressed appropriately. Bryce (Shaun Wilson) doesn’t want to talk to anyone. The Heathers (1 – Lauren Wilson; 2 – Lydia Laine-Smith; 3 – Beth Morton) are out to steal each other’s love interests and fend off any unwanted advances. And Charlie (Andy Gartrell) – well he’s just the coolest kid on the block. 

Everybody at the party wants someone to notice them, talk to them, understand them, or hook up with them. For some it is a particular person (i.e. Nick wanting to get back with Maddy) for others it doesn’t matter, anyone will do. 

There is a lot going on in the play as you can probably gather. I can’t help but wonder if one or two of the more minor roles were cut it would give some space to develop other characters and relationships more fully. Trying to keep up with the number of relationships and characters is a challenge but the ensemble – directed by Alison Walls – work extremely well together. There are some fantastic moments where the attention shifts effortlessly from one side of the room to the other and back again with everyone on stage fully engaging with the people and objects in their environment.  

There were some moments, on opening night, when the aforementioned flow between action was impeded by the lighting and sound. Jarring jump cuts to outside / inside don’t work particularly well and slow the momentum of the piece at a time when it needs to be quite high. Similar things can be said of the ‘transition scenes’ of low lighting and music to indicate time passing: they are a bit cumbersome and unnecessary and just slow the piece down. 

There are some inherent struggles in accurately portraying a gaggle of young people getting drunk and hanging out at a party. Firstly the ability to actively portray a drunken person is a rare skill that few can pull off and the cast manages to get away with it for the most part. Generally with this, less is more, and perhaps more subtlety and more of a build could improve this.

Secondly, creating dialogue that actually sounds natural is difficult. Done badly it sounds a pseudo-American, clichéd soap opera. Again this is achieved with varying degrees of success in Titheridge’s script; sometimes it hits the mark other times it just sounds weird. But the young cast do well in committing fully to their roles and this sees them through.

Particular mention must go to Rowell and Laine-Smith for their enthusiastic dance skills and commitment to partying. 

I’ve mentioned the skills of the cast and their work is to be commended however it would be remiss of me to not question the point of the play. Towards the end there is an attempt at a moral, but this is quickly glossed over so as not to hurt the brains of the gang as they’ve likely got enough to deal with. They’re all going to be really hung-over tomorrow and that’s will be punishment enough.

The message seems to be “parties are terrible but you have to go otherwise people will judge you, and people are selfish and self absorbed but you have to like them cause they’re your friends”. Or in musical form the message could be neatly summed up in the classic song from High School Musical ‘Stick to the Status Quo’.

If Atlas / Mountains / Dead Butterflies is quite deep and thoughtful, Trashbag is very much less so. You won’t go home pondering your life choices after this one; you’ll most likely just be searching for the nearest drink. 

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