| 05 August 2010
Rhoda and Jerry inhabit the desolate office space of “Convenience Foods”. Together yet solitarily they negotiate their way through the corporate jargon to face their demise; the omnipresent struggle of nature and civilisation. The pair come up against contraptions and appliances, personal neuroses and the looming threat of invasion from the natural world in the form of taxidermied animals and decayed shrubbery. The characters’ lack of dialogue emphasises the notion of our fundamental solitude. Beyond the somewhat philosophical, sombre messages this play offers a great sense of humour. Physical actions involving sellotape, post-it notes and other office ephemera describe the hopelessness of things - a tension, anxiety and frustration that is highly identifiable – and yet there was consistent laughter throughout.
The set becomes increasingly dynamic, momentum builds and with film projectors showing wildlife documentary footage and the stage presence of a fairly convincing grizzly bear, the show closes to the documentary narration “…lord let me die but not die out…”. Will the familiarity of office protocol be enough to save us against the real natural order?
Geoff Sobelle and Charlotte Ford return to Edinburgh after their 2005 sell-out All Wear Bowlers and they’ve brought another certain success. Flesh and Blood & Fish and Fowl is thoughtful and inventive, melancholy and fun. A surprising equilibrium, particularly in terms of the overall tone, it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Traverse @ St Stephens, 4-28 Aug (not 9, 23), times vary
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