Tag Archives: Ava Pickett

“1536” at the Almeida Theatre

Ava Pickett’s new play uses the popular fascination with the Tudors to good effect. The year of the title is, as you might remember from your history lessons, when Anne Boleyn was executed by Henry VIII. But instead of the Royal Court, Pickett looks at a small village in Essex, far removed from events, with three women who are friends and (approximately) working class.

The focus gives the piece just enough originality. And it allows it to be speculative. We know little about lives such as these, so some modern sensibilities can be injected without too much trouble. Which is not to say the play isn’t well researched – it’s convincing how information gets through to the women, as is their awareness of how their society, and their status, is shifting.

Pickett’s dialogue is good. Avoiding ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ makes the characters sound fresh and easily relatable. And there’s plenty of humour: pointing out the “loads of paperwork” in Henry’s divorce is great (although there is a reliance on expletives to get laughs). Director Lyndsey Turner’s staging adds energy, too, with quick, cinematic scenes and bold colours from Jack Knowles’ lighting design.

As you might guess, the year in question is used to examine the patriarchy. It’s interesting to note striking similarities with another strong play, Julia Grogan’s Playfight, which also has a trio of very different young women and details a struggle that seems to have changed less than you would hope. But as there isn’t much to argue with, no matter how well it’s all presented, there aren’t many surprises here.

One interesting twist is that Pickett provides a close study of how attitudes change. Jane’s flirtatious cheekiness falls out of “fashion” as the play progresses. As men lose their sense of humour, the women suffer – and they warn each other to change their behaviour to keep with the times. It’s a thought-provoking observation that builds dramatic tension effectively, if not subtly.

There are also touches of the soap opera here: affairs, pregnancy and violence are all added at speed. The action comes close to getting out of hand, but strong performances and well-written characters save the night. Sienna Kelly takes the lead as Jane, barely off the stage and excellent in every scene. Liv Hill and Tanya Reynolds offer superb support, the detail in their depictions aiding the writing. All added together, 1536 proves a year to remember.

Until 7 June 2025

www.almeida.co.uk

Photo by Helen Murray

“Lottery” at the New Diorama Theatre

Part of this great venue’s emerging company showcase, a debut play from writer and director Simon Paris shows that Fictive Theatre is a talent to watch.

Lottery’s laughter starts straight away with an awkward meeting between two youngsters doing jury service. This leads us (a little too) neatly to the main event – the idea that the Prime Minister is chosen at random.

The scenario might benefit from more elaboration. How far in the future are we and did people vote not to vote? In a further twist, it’s a popularity contest for the winner – maybe more explanation might make the satire fuller.

The jokes are plentiful, with a keen eye on social anxiety and sexual tension, well delivered by Ava Pickett and Elliot Bornemann, with some nicely choreographed touches from Paris. The simple set by Magdalena Iwanska works hard, too, with shredded paper appearing continually. It’s economical, imaginative and effective.

As it happens, selecting the PM isn’t random but the decision of a mandarin in the Yes Minister tradition. Making Sir Humphrey look benign, Paris’ crazed creation isn’t even helpful enough to “foresee all sorts of unforeseen problems”. It’s a role Rhys Tees gets a lot from. Making the whole play less mad might make the satire sharper, but the surreal touches here are satisfying in their own right. Why our particular ingénue was chosen is yet another rich vein that could be explored.

Sadly, Lottery was on for one night only, but the potential here is clear, and it would be exciting to see this play refined and expanded.

www.fictivetheatre.com

Photo by Joe Brayford

“Scarborough” at the Courtyard Theatre

A schoolteacher and a pupil in a hotel room for a dirty weekend: that is the simple scenario for Fiona Evans’ play. As well as getting extra marks for addressing a depressingly topical subject, Evans’ writing can be praised for an intelligent handling of the subject. And it has a nice twist – after we see a female teacher with a schoolboy, the roles are reversed and we see a young girl as the victim.

Despite the play’s brevity, the characters are complex and we don’t automatically see these children as victims – occasionally they seem more mature than the adults taking advantage of them. There could be more tension; that the teachers are putting their “life on the line” isn’t the focus – sex is, and the intimacy is creepily convincing. With the script repeated almost exactly, it’s a great game of spot the difference: which brings one hesitation – steering so clear of sensationalism is an achievement, but you don’t feel as uncomfortable with this topic as is really appropriate.

While the premise might seem just too neat a trick, there’s no doubt Scarborough is an effective showcase for the talents of young company Fictive Theatre. Taking to the stage are Charlie Tantam and Ava Pickett, superb as they change characters after the interval. They make the repetition riveting. And I have to praise their professionalism at working through a klaxon-like ringtone during the show – they didn’t skip a beat while I thought we were under attack. Pickett’s transformation is the most noticeable: from harassed PE teacher into precocious schoolgirl, and she adds an unsettling injection of humour. Director Simon Paris deals with staging the show in the round impeccably and there are some brave pauses that show a real confidence in the material. It’s great to have a new team to watch out for.

8 & 9 October 2015

www.thecourtyard.org.uk

Photo by Greg Goodale