REVIEWS

This show masterfully blends a dark, dystopian setting with grounded comedy and cutting drama, creating a powerful commentary on modern Britain and its uncertain future, performed by a minimalist three-actor cast. Written by and starring the talented Briony Martha and Zach Reay-Barry, the two bring layers of comedic authenticity and a raw emotional honesty to the stage. Lily and Gareth, the only characters visually present throughout the show, appear to be a happy and content couple at first. However, The Parental Act Law forces them on a journey that makes them question every aspect of themselves and their relationship. This unravelling of their psyche and dynamics is the driving force of what’s so great and intimate about this performance. You really grow a closeness for the pair,...

Bluegrass, courtroom drama, and Victorian murder meet in a sharp, witty retelling of the Lizzie Borden’s story. “Myth always makes for a good story.” Quite right. We get the back and forth on whether we’re here for drama or history, and before you know it, they’re breaking the fourth wall to bicker about the whole thing. At one point, an exasperated “Come on, this is GCSE drama level!” gets lobbed into the audience. It’s all very knowing, very winky, and the crowd laps it up. The set up is straightforward, Lizzie Borden, accused of axing her father and stepmother in 1892, faces us, the jury. It’s clear in this telling that she cannot stand her stepmother. Old Yankee stock, dripping in mill money, she hardly needs the inheritance, which makes the whole “why would she?” question al...