A Taste Of Honey at the Alma Tavern Theatre Review
Posted on: 2016-10-21
Our rating:
It was an enjoyable production with enough zest and life in it to make it feel like a modern play, but with a timeless morality and spirit.
A Taste of Honey is a production that is brimming with charm from the offset, taking place in Salford in the 50s and written by an 18 year old girl with acute experience of the complex issues being discussed. It takes into account complex issues of class, race, gender and sexual orientation in mid-twentieth-century Britain, while never appearing preachy or taking a sledgehammer approach. The characters lack any sugar-coating yet somehow all appear sympathetic at one point or another, a quirk of the play which was perfectly captured by Red Rope Theatre.
*****Showing until Saturday 29th October 2016 - tickets available here*****
Most of the play took place on a beige sofa, with people moving around it or speaking offstage. This can be a risky move but this production has honed the skill and indeed used it to create a richer play where the characters are the only focus. I get the impression this play was meant to be performed in close quarters, its subtle character transformations and claustrophobic cityscapes are better communicated in this way, and Delaney’s play became the detailed microcosm that it should always be appreciated as.
I personally felt that the sullen attitude of Jo was a little overplayed at times, and that the introduction of Jeff was abrupt and wasn’t completely clear unless those watching were already familiar with the play. These however were the only downsides to a thoroughly touching and refreshing piece of drama, where each actor was a perfect fit for their role, and the set design gave the whole thing a more familiar feel.
A Taste Of Honey is on at the Alma Tavern Theatre until the 29th October, and I would definitely give it my personal recommendation if you are a fan of the play, or even the film. It was an enjoyable production with enough zest and life in it to make it feel like a modern play, but with a timeless morality and spirit.
Reviewed for 365 Bristol by Miri Teixeira
4/5
Article by:
Miri is an English literature student at the University of Bristol who enjoys folk-punk & math-rock music, trailing round art galleries, and playing video games. She is a keen follower of politics and will read any science fiction you throw her way. Having lived in and around Bristol for many years she has developed a keen interest in the Bristol underground music scene and independent restaurants.
