Zero by JustTalk Theatre

Credit: JustTalk Theatre Company

I'll admit that when it comes to theatre, I may not be the first person you should come to for a review or advice on what to see. However, I enjoy theatre as much as the next bloke (unless they are a proper critic) whether it's on a grand stage for all to see, in the open (with the audience in a sea of umbrellas), or even in the back of a pub in Salford.

An original piece by JustTalk cofounder Robin Lyons, Zero is set in the aftermath of father's suicide and focuses on the lives of his two children, Eddie and Helen, and their attempts to move on. Working around the theme of suicide, the play had the dangers of becoming bogged down in depression and despair. However, while the suicide had a looming presence throughout, light-hearted humour was deftly weaved in where required.

The writing was at its best when it spent its time as a duo piece, with the interactions between the brother and sister being used to explain the nature of the family and the eccentricities of their father, along with their own opinions towards his end. Soliloquies were not just used to fill in the history since the suicide, but most importantly allowed us to learn all we needed about Eddie and Helen.

While initially Dean Gregory's Eddie led the play, it was later in the play when Rosemary Terry's Helen came to the forefront, benefiting from her more engaging emotional subplot. However, this is not to say that either became unbelievable at any point, with both captivating and holding the audiences attention (a difficult task for this easily distracted viewer) throughout their double helix of highs and lows. 

However, I personally felt the play suffered at its ending. The introduction of a third main, Tim, attempts to clear up some of the mystery of the father's end but in my opinion provides a jarring ending to the play. A quiet ending may have fit better with the rest of the production.

In summary, Zero is a strongly-written and intelligent production with a fantastic cast and setting, I'd highly recommend going to see it in the rest of its run at The Eagle Inn in Salford, on 29th-31st March 2016. It's a bit of a trek to get there, but once you're watching, it's well worth it.