So, what would you do if you get a call from an ex nearly a decade since you broke up asking you to help them in their hour of need?

I suspect, after seeing this show, this question will be playing through the minds of the audience, re-enacting possible scenarios to see if we can identify with the rationale for why the protagonists in When We Were Us, end up in this situation.

On subsequent research of radio interviews for the production, I discover that the phone call from the hospital is a real event which this fictional story is based around, by writer Catherine Zulver.

In this story set in New York – in itself a city which can swallow you whole, or give you wings to fly – we witness the story of Claire (Julia McDonald) and Dylan (Kevin Orlando), the carefree past lovers and adventurers who meet again when fear of the unknown and what if? comes knocking on the door.  

Humans are such curious creatures – wanting to be so individual and unique, and yet the human condition is so universal. There are many relatable moments in this script: the want for answers if we feel wronged, to be heard and understood, to be loved, to connect, to fix the past, to understand the whys or why nots, to feel wanted, not to be alone, to not be the ‘bad guy’, to find redemption or closure …

Director Helen Mackenzie Hughes and Musical Director Phoebe Caldeiro, in collaboration with actors Julia and Kevin, create a recognisable world where these two characters, just as out of depth as each-other, do-si-do around to discover who they are or might still be to each other, only for this to be punctuated with heightened revelations which the audience audibly gasp at, or genuinely groan with recognition, willing the characters to not make the same mistakes over again. 

With minimal staging – only a blanket, a cup and bowl as props – what forms this piece is the awkward dialogue of two people who knew each other intimately, and yet no longer know each other. From Claire’s ‘WTF am I even doing? but maybe I can now get answers’ to Dylan’s egotistical ‘you are here on my calling you, so that must mean you want me still’, presumption and all the ensuing contrasting emotions swirl as they oscillate vividly against the clinically beige tiered boxes in Scott Maxim’s set design.

The fabric-wrapped rectangular truss, hung above, acts as the boundaries of the hospital cubicle but also of the relationship and of time and space, with Riley Gibson’s lighting design creatively adding to the mood and memory of past and present. (Intern Sophie Badrick operates lighting and sound with excellent timing.) 

Musically, the compositions by Catherine Zulver, with assistance from Marley Richards and Isaac Thomas, are very listenable in the moment. A mix of styles lend themselves as a re-enforcement to the characters’ states of mind and inner thoughts, rather than move the story along type songs, as that is left to the spoken conversation.

Tom Whaley’s guitar accompaniment is expertly played and sensitively unobtrusive, with excellent balance for the un-mic’d voices. 

The change from dialogue into the music doesn’t always stay with the necessary intensity or intention and sometimes feels a little dropped into the specific moment rather than flowing effortlessly through the overall arc.

But the vocals are absolutely beautiful to listen to. Diction is crystal clear and the variation between Julia’s pure folky musical theatre tone and Kevin’s, with its extra touch of rock rasp, create a magical blend to emote the love, hope, pain, loss and confusion. The harmonising is gorgeous!

With only two character’s on stage, there is a risk to want to try to fill the space with more movement than feels necessary and the story nuance is lost with un-intentioned pacing to no-where, when simply staying still would hold us more in the truth. 

Movement choices for Dylan during the musical numbers particularly break the suspension of disbelief needed for his character, creating a blurring of reality between the world of memory and the present.

This intimate slice of life theatre mashed up with its acoustic folk/indie styled music has the makings of being even more potent and powerful. Leaning further into the stillness, the touching connection, the awkwardness, the cringe moments and the audible silence could draw us in to make us listen and empathise, so we stay absolutely engaged in any given moment of the story.

Regardless of your breadth of experience in life’s varied human connections, When We Were Us will be both recognisable and no doubt cathartic in some way. We have probably all been, or had, Claires and Dylans in our relationships, and have had ‘what if’ sliding door moments we wonder about, maybe thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. But I think the message here is about travelling through life with integrity and being brave enough to grab the path we are on with both hands until such time as the path has run its course, and being ok to let go of things beyond our control without regret or repercussion.

Congratulations to all the team on this first outing of When We Were Us/ I hope it makes its way onto the stage again in the future. 

Red Scare Theatre Company are to be applauded for always seeking ways to back local theatre practitioners and original works such as these.  

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer