Review of new Colchester Mercury Theatre show Midsummer

Midsummer, written by David Greig and Gordon McIntyre and running until May 18, boasts an intelligent fast-paced script lifted which is lifted by incredible acting, set-design, and live-music.

Part of the reason why it felt so fresh, despite clearly being a lovely story about two lost souls finding each other, was its attention to detail and structure.

The entire play was cleverly written and outstandingly executed, starting with the two main characters bad-boy Bob - played by the amazing Ross Carswell - and workaholic divorce lawyer Karen - played by the incredible Karen Young - doing the classic ‘this is what I actually said’ to each other.

On stage this device, repeated several times, felt electric and energising with the special effects giving you that immersive ‘pause’ – particularly the lighting which at one point even turned into vintage black and white cinemascope.

The two narrators, superbly portrayed by Will Arundel and Laura Andresen Guimarães, donned hats, tight-fitting caps, and numerous outfits and had a ball with almost screw-ball-like quickness - bombarding the audience with craic to stop the play from becoming too sweet.

Midsummer also showed, rather than told, the audience what it is like to be in love, such as the pre-recorded projected screen showed the two singing lovebirds hugging each other from a bird’s eye view while the actors tenderly embraced below.

Romance - Karen Young as Helena and Ross Carswell as Bob (Image: Pamela Raith)

The show’s Edinburgh setting was also the opposite of an afterthought with its place names thrown frantically all over the script and its characters representing, just subtly enough, the different sides of the city – sunny, rainy, well-off, and struggling.

All four actors were multi-talented as guitar and piano players, taking turns to be the highlight, and they each had those magical musical theatre voices which are lovely and easy to listen to in song and speech – as well as Scottish.

For a play about a man and a woman finding each other and themselves, I really enjoyed each expletive for its realism to young people, but it was very amusing to hear the main gasp being an audience member’s reaction when a confession of love was made.

Last, but certainly not least, was the stunning set-design by Libby Todd which as well as being dazzling enabled the eye to delight in characters having their own worlds up and down the levelled stage.

A double-page spread of images showing the glorious set can be seen on pages 20 and 21.

5 STARS