@ Platform, Glasgow, until Sat 13 Feb 2016 (and touring)
Amy Conway can be described as a community artist, who as a creative practitioner actively contributes to different grass-roots organisations like LOOP Theatre and Toonspeak. In her own words, Amy “wants to make work that gives a voice to the under-represented” and her one-woman show 30:60:80 is presented to the audience as verbatim theatre.
In the same year Amy’s grandmother turns 80, her mother turns 60, and Amy herself turns 30. Focussing on the experiences of her mother and grandmother in their 30s and on her own situation, Amy explores similarities and differences between them and the relationships within her family. As she arrives on stage, she informs us that she will be as honest and accurate in her performance as possible, and that she will play all three women.
The stage is set up with seating arrangements attempting to mirror the different eras. However, the furniture and props used do not clearly enough represent fashions of each respective time to visualise this effectively.
The account of the family’s story is presented chronologically and supported with projected photographs. Amy moves from her grandmother’s “section” of the stage to her mother’s and to her own, describing the hopes and expectations of each woman in that woman’s own words. She carries this off in a gentle fashion with great sensitivity and an obvious consideration for the period each story belongs to.
However, despite this, the characters of her mother and grandmother do not come alive in her performance. She does not change her voice or mannerisms to distinguish between the different personae. At times, it is difficult to keep track of which person is talking. When Amy’s grandmother sits down on or gets up from her chair, she has the agility of a 30 year old.
The music chosen to support the performance is interesting, and reflective of the different periods, and could have been employed to accentuate each character had Amy not switched between all three women while one piece was being played.
Overall, the story is told with enthusiasm and tenderness, but does not manage to truly engage the audience, nor does it offer enough analytical insight.