Direct from a run at The Bush in London, The Trick is described as a magic show that tells the story of love, loss and growing old.
Mira’s husband died seven months ago, but neither of them are ready to let go. For most of her life her husband Jonah is what got her out of bed in the morning and Mira is struggling to understand why she should bother carrying on without him. “You make a mess, you clear it up, you make another mess and you clear it up again.” This play delves into the complexity of life in 70 minutes as it asks what the point of it all really is.
Whilst moments deeply resonate, with poetic language that sums up the questions we are all a little bit too scared to ask, some of the scenes don’t quite fit. There are some brilliant scenes in this play, particularly David Verrey as Jonah who captures the humour and warmth of her husband, making you realise why she misses him so much.
One moment that really touched me was Lachele Carl’s monologue when she describes the feeling of grief. It’s a beautifully directed moment as she describes her feeling of hopelessness is the most poignant way as she takes you through the stages of grief she felt after losing her husband, However, it feels like it only scratches the surface and that there is so much more that she could give.
The cast are brilliant, Ani Nelson and Sharlene Whyte bring real charisma and stage presence to their roles, particularly as the manipulative plumbers that take advantage of Mira’s vulnerability. But their lack of consistency in their roles feels disjointed and doesn’t showcase their natural acting abilities as well as they could.
At the end it is summed up in a touching final explanation by the cast as they talk frankly about life and death. The ending tugs on the heart strings in a moving way and connects well with the opening message of the show. The Trick is a clever idea with some fantastic insightful moments, but the play doesn’t quite fit together to leave you feeling totally consumed by its message.
The Trick is currently touring the UK and on at the Birmingham Rep until 9 April, tickets can be found on their website.
