Reverberation at Bristol Old Vic
Posted on: 2024-10-09
Our rating:
A startling look at grief and the power of platonic intimacy.
Alys Marshall reviews Reverberation at Bristol Old Vic until 2 November 2024
I’ve never seen a play quite like Reverberation. Last night, I escaped a torrential Bristolian downpour and stepped into the Old Vic, where a small but mighty cast of three characters successfully transported me into their turbulent domestic lives.
Matthew Lopez’s Reverberation tells the story of Jonathan (Michael Ahomka-Lindsay): an artistic gay man stuck in a quiet, fearful routine after the horrific death of his long term partner, who was killed in a homophobic attack. Jonathan is trapped in agoraphobic denial, working from home, ordering his groceries online and socialising almost exclusively via Grindr hookups.
There’s no one to truly see him or how diminished his life has become, until Claire, a slightly chaotic and immediately likeable American (played by Eleanor Tomlinson) moves in upstairs. Claire takes an instant liking to Jonathan, and despite his initial hesitancy to form new connections, the two soon develop a friendship. From this point, the first half of the play felt like an ode to the transformative power of platonic intimacy. Both characters are lonely and find solace in each other’s company — they share moving and often humorous exchanges, with an unmistakable chemistry that feels genuine. After the interval, their relationship develops into something blurrier, which is exacerbated by the return of Wes (Jack Gibson), an excitable 21 year old who’s infatuation with Jonathan forces him to confront his own pain.
To avoid spoilers, I won’t say any more here, but I will spend a minute on the set — the work of Ti Green — which manages to be both stark and cosy all at once. Composed of two apartments stacked vertically in the style of an open dolls house, the set gives us an intimate glimpse into the daily routines of Claire and Jonathan, as they work through their respective traumas. The translucent stairwell that connects the two apartments was a stroke of genius, as it permits us to see the telling moments of decompression that people experience between spaces, which are usually private. The music too stands in for commentary about Claire and Jonathan (chosen by Sound Designer Nichola T. Chang) — with Claire stomping about to Charlie XCX’s 360, while Jonathan moons wistfully to Johnny Hartman.
In some ways this was a very small play, with such a minimal cast and monochromatic, static set, but the depth of the inner lives we see makes Reverberation feel anything but. Under the talented direction of Jack Sain, it artfully explores devastating subject matter with tenderness and humour, subverting the trend for unlikeable protagonists that’s been so prolific in the last few years. I recommend it to everyone interested in the nuances of the human condition.
Reverberation is on at Bristol Old Vic from Wednesday 9th October 2024 to Saturday 2nd November 2024, with tickets starting from £10.
Find out more and book your tickets here.
Photos credit : Marc Brenner
Article by:
Alys is a full-time copywriter, avid reader and podcast enthusiast currently based in Henleaze. As a recent transplant from the North, she’s keen to explore everything the South West has to offer, but is especially interested in exploring the food, art and culture scene in Bristol.
