Is theatre always a work-in-progress? Does it become dull as soon as it is polished, or ‘slick’?

I reckon so.

The run through of Boiling Frogs yesterday was rough. But inside that small square taped on the floor, there was a lot of real work going on, and consequently, a lot of it was working.

If theatre is alive, like a human, if it is always a work-in-progress, then this play and this group of men collectively achieve their goal.

The subject matter of the play and Steve’s very acute and complex writing, are both too serious to be performed by actors who are doing any less than digging deep for their attention and their presence.

But it seems a very good and delicate balance is about to be struck; the combination of a text which deals with very serious themes and of actors who are dedicating themselves to their performance and their characters journey, rather than preaching the content of the play.

The resulting chord chimes emotion, engagement and questions in the heart of the audience, or at least it did for me.

I was reminded of something yesterday, or perhaps I learned it for the first time;

When we are afraid, or when we do not notice our fear and fight it actively – our standards begin to slide, we give our allegiance too easily, we become less discerning, our ‘moral compass’ begins to be swayed by too many factors – by more than just the magnetic poles of ‘okay’ and ‘not okay’.

However we chose to engage with the current political issues surrounding our Liberty in these bizarre times, it is this slide, which we barely notice until, it seems, we have done something regrettable, that may matter most.

Great play. Great guys. Real treat. Many, many thanks.

Portia x




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