Since the Proforca Theatre team started in 2016 they have produced a collection of plays which concentrate on human interaction, social observations and difficult emotional situations people find themselves in on a daily basis. “Feel More” has been based on the successful original play “Feel” by James Lewis.
The latest production is a series of seven individually performed monologues where each character has a separate story dealing with the feelings and emotions derived from each of the characters personal circumstance.
Director Jess Barton along with artistic director David Brady has brought together seven individual short stories by seven writers each one delivered by different actors. Each performance and story was unique although the core of each tale was the deep-rooted feelings and emotions that as human beings we very rarely share to the outside world. A challenging production for any director to bring together. Barton deserves to be very proud of this achievement.
Each character had a different story to tell James Lewis’s, Ryan (Luke Dayhill) the patient waiting for a heart operation facing the possibility that he was going to die. Ollie George Clark with Ellie(Kirsty Cherrett)talking about her daughter dying in an abstract way through her musical career although this piece felt unfinished to me. Ivy(Aimee Kimber) by Jack Albert Cook who talks about the despair of being single, love of ginger nuts and tea and falling for her female flatmate. Gabrielle Nellis-Pain’s unusual take on grief through Kimmy(Jimin Suh) who uses a blindfold to deprive herself of sight in order to be able to reach out and see her deceased Father and Adam(Paul Waggott) by Kim Scopes the voice-over recording artist for the delayed train announcements. I could feel my anger raised during this one through the experience of hearing them when I am delayed travelling.
The piece that stood out to me from the seven was Ali’s story written by Georgie Bailey. He explains the despair he felt at being abandoned by his father at Christmas. The family stopped celebrating after that and while at a loss one Christmas, he meets Joss outside a homeless shelter who encourages him to come in and help. The energy for life and his love of this time of year breathes new hope into Ali’s life. As with all the monologues in this production, the ending isn’t happy ever after but then in the real world what really is.
It brought back personal memories for me from working in a homeless shelter during the Christmas period. It is surprising how happy the atmosphere usually is in a shelter over Christmas. An experience I would recommend to anyone to try at least once.
Using the Iconic four coloured chairs at the back of the stage which have become the signature feature for this collection of plays. Whenever I see the four chairs on the stage I am prepared to be pushed out of my comfort zone and know that at times I will be challenged emotionally.
I can highly recommend this new collection of plays and that every production I have seen by Proforca has been of a very high standard. One word of advice when you see any of their pieces take tissues and prepare yourself to feel.
Four Stars
For more information on this play and future productions please use the links below.
From Tuesday 25th-Friday 28th February.
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