Talking People, Bush Theatre – Review – Breaking The Fourth Wall

There’s a saying: “Sooner or later, everything old is new again”. In the case of improvisational acting, there was a time when it was very popular and as well as being the preoccupation of comedians on television, regular evening events would take place in London regarding this pastime, along with scratch nights. Alas, COVID and many other factors decimated such creative outlets and the road back to ‘normality’ for grassroots theatre has been bumpy to say the least. But all is not lost. Based on the event I attended in early July, not only is improvisational acting back with a vengeance, its framework for now existing makes it more important than ever – given a purpose for building characters from the ground up and showcasing the UK’s burgeoning talent…

Created by actor/producer Elina Saleh and director Richard Vincent, Talking People brings together six seasoned actors to spend an evening improvising about relationships. Vincent initially talks to the audience about what to expect and the ‘rules’ of the evening. However, there is an element of ‘chance’ in the proceedings, as the men/women portrayed may be very much in love, a moment away from spliting up or anything in between. The choosing of playing cards of high/low value are used for this purpose.

Eschewing the antics you might have seen on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the three couples answer questions directly from the audience about anything and everything. Below is a summary of the improvised history of the respective couples over the course of the evening…

Josiah and Sophia (Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Elina Saleh) have been together for about 18 months and they first met in a club. Sophia works as a model scout, while Josiah works in the music biz, which sometime takes him to nice locales, such as island resorts. It also means there are extended periods when they are away from each other… Josiah admits to one occasion when he was unfaithful, but what constitutes ‘infidelity’ and when in the relationship it occured is a matter of debate. However, unfortunately for Josiah, the topic keeps on resurfacing throughout the evening and through Sophia’s microgestures, we can tell how much it upsets her.

Elina Saleh and Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Sophia and Josiah

Joan and Gary (Isabella Brownson and Michael Parr). Of the three couples, they are the only pair who are married. Gary works as a plumber, while Joan is a geography teacher. As they’ve known each other since school, their relationship has now plateaued and lost some of its sparkle. Gary is fairly happy with his lot in life, but if he’s 100% honest, some things could do with ‘spicing up’. Joan, in contrast, is re-evaluating what she wants for the future. She is also estranged from her mother – a consequence of events around the time her father was dying of cancer.

Michael Parr and Isabella Brownson as Gary and Joan

Carlyss and Michael (Aliyah Odoffin and Aaron Fontaine). At the beginning, they make a big show about the fact they are engaged and ‘happy’. However, they are from very different worlds – Carlyss is a hostess at holiday resorts, while Michael is an electrician. Even though he initially says he’s fine with her choice of ‘revealing’ clothes (which she wears for ‘work’), it later becomes painfully obvious that he doesn’t trust ‘other people’ when she’s working and that he’s not happy that almost all of her friends are male. Depending on which family member he’s talking to, he is either teased by them or hears their disapproval.

Aliyah Odoffin and Aaron Fontaine as Carlyss and Michael

Audience participation sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable. However, during the evening there’s a neverending stream of questions from the audience for the couples. This is even more apparent when ‘questions for individuals’ are introduced – a workshop device that ‘stops’ the partners of those questioned hearing their answers and aiding in the facilitation of total honesty. Even though the actors in character don’t do a complete U-turn when asked questions ‘in private’, the degree of candidness is noticable in everyone, to a greater or lesser degree.

The second half of the evening involves an extended improvised scene with all the actors. Much like Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party, all the guests turn up to Sophia and Josiah’s home, and the audience picks up on tensions regarding etiquette and aspirations, amongst other things. Many of the things we’ve learnt about the respective couples are referenced in one form or other, or inform their actions. Also, much like Christmas or any big social event, the occasion is a catalyst for an implosion of emotions. For those with eyes to see, the ‘little things’ that are annoying Sophia about Josiah are signifiers for much deeper anger…

All the actors are to be commended for ‘what they bring to the table’, as they flesh out the nuances of the respective relationships, and make them totally plausible and distinct from each other. While touching on very serious topics at times, Parr and Brownson are able to coax the inherent humour from their outlook on life, without it being ‘over the top’ or inorganic. In contrast, Fontaine and Odoffin show how the absence or denial of problems at the beginning belie the pressures that are building steadily over time, but pretend not to see. As for Saleh and Smith-Bynoe, the relationship they depict is on shaky ground from the outset. But similar to what happens with Carlyss and Michael, subsequent revelations and the removal of emotional ‘fig leaves’ force them to take a long, hard look at what future they have, if at all.

I would imagine that just through ‘word of mouth’ alone that the next Talking People event will be heavily subscribed and garner interest from all quarters, as news spreads of how well-developed the characters are and how entertaining the evening is. Do catch it if you can.

Talking People* ran at the Bush Theatre on 3rd July.