Billed as a play for anyone who lives in a world dominated by technology, Long Story Short felt surprisingly dated dealing with the fast-paced world of news via social media.
Focusing on the blurred line between news and entertainment, ratings versus real life and real people, the show centred on Neil (Tom Gordon) recalling his struggle with editorial decisions and control, whilst interwoven stories of Red (Kevin Phelan) and Jamie (Cole Edwards) dealt with the battle of giving audiences the news they want at any cost.
Tom Gordon was commanding and believable in his role of newsroom lynchpin Neil and his scenes surrounded by his colleagues were some of the strongest in the production. Cole Edwards gave an energetic, if not hyperbolic performance as wayward youngster Jamie, who craved information on his missing brother serving in Afghanistan. The cast all worked hard as an ensemble and while the choreographed movement was strong and slick, it was an overused making the play seem repetitive in a world where no two days or news stories are meant to be the same.
