As a Peter Gill and Omnibus first-timer, I was really looking forward to my trip to see ‘Small Change’. The Omnibus is a lovely little theatre, situated a close walk from Clapham Common. The set, designed by Liam Bunster, was a highlight of the evening for me. With the seating arranged in thrust, the white stage allowed us to be transported to various locations with the aid of large, industrial-looking rectangle boxes. With the piece being based on the east side of Cardiff, near the docks, it gave you a clear sense of location.
Being written and staged at the Royal Court in 1976, the writing still maintains a modern pragmatism and manages to simultaneously get to the point very quickly whilst also skating around the bigger questions. We explore themes of time, class and gender roles to name a few.
Directed by George Richmond-Scott, the piece, for me, lacked pace. With something so lyrical it can be difficult not to be tempted to just indulge in the beautiful language, but in doing so I missed vital storytelling. I didn’t feel cohesion between actors, which is particularly important in such an intimate space. It felt like some spent more time enjoying the opportunity to do a Peter Gill play rather than actually listening.The piece follows Gerard and his mother, played by Sioned Jones and their relationships with Mrs Driscoll, played by Tameka Mortimer and her son Vincent, played by Toby Gordon. It’s Gerard's introspective view back on his life. Andy Rush’s portrayal of Gerard is grounded and humble yet, for me, lacked energy. He is somewhat the protagonist and storyteller of the piece so- although I did feel comfortable, I struggled to stay engaged.
The parts that worked most effectively are where certain scenes were repeated with slight tweaks to mirror gaps in Gerard's memory. With the assistance of Rachel Wise’s movement, we were given little fragments of lost time. I would have loved a further exploration of these moments as they could feel quite bizarre in what felt like quite a naturalistic play.
By act two there’s a long and striking scene between Gerard and Vincent where they admit their love for each other. Whether this love is platonic or romantic it left me at a loss. I didn’t really see that close of a bond between the pair, let alone full-blown love. There were disjointed moments like this littered throughout the play where suddenly characters were screaming at each other and no one was quite sure why.
Coming out of a pandemic, I really do applaud anyone producing theatre and I would like to visit the Omnibus again. Small Change is a curious play. On one hand, poetic and intimate but on the other, it somehow feels hollow and two dimensional.
Review by Max Barber
Rating: ★★
Price of Ticket: £16
