Review: DOUBLE BILL OF GERALDINE ARON at The Milnerton Playhouse

Milnerton Players is delving into the world of playwright Geraldine Aron this winter, with a double bill of one-act plays. Under the direction of Godfrey Johnson, the society is presenting MICKEY KANNIS CAUGHT MY EYE and BAR AND GER. This double bill is on at the Milnerton Playhouse until 12 July.

It's always interesting reviewing a double bill like this. I get to compare apples with apples - same playwright, same actors, but two different pieces with an interval in between. Of the two, I definitely preferred BAR AND GER. This is the second offering of the two and features an empty stage, two black crates, two actors wearing black and one white scarf. It's the story of two siblings, Barry (played by Gregan Aherin) and Geraldine (played by Jean-Marie Schoots), and is told in vignettes. The story starts when the younger of the two, Barry, is a baby, and then moves through them growing up, reaching adulthood and hitting tragedy. The simplicity of the staging allows the audience to completely sit with the performances and feel the characters' emotions. This piece really struck a chord with me.

The first play, MICKEY KANNIS CAUGHT MY EYE, I found was less successful. The performances felt a bit disconnected, and lacked the same impact that BAR AND GER had. It's the story of a man who is at a cross-roads - should he continue to follow his dream of being a dancer or is it time to get a "real job" and settle down. Pushing him to make a decision is his wife and a couple of family members. They mean well, but do they really understand what this decision means to Mickey? As a person who works in the theatre myself, I completely understand just how difficult this choice is for the character. I also get how people on the outside don't really understand the creative call. However, with this piece, I didn't quite feel the strength of those emotions. It did have its moments though, with laughs and tears.

Overall, this double bill offering from Milnerton Players is an entertaining evening at the theatre and worth going to see. The first piece is interesting and the second piece is powerful. The double bill of MICKEY KANNIS CAUGHT MY EYE and BAR AND GER is on until 12 July, and tickets can be bought via the Milnerton Players website.

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