@ Perth Concert Hall, until Fri 3 Apr (and touring)
Horsecross Arts and Random Accomplice present this tonally awkward play about a delusional couple finding a unique way of recovering from a tragedy. Lily and Peter are a married Scottish couple living in late 80s America who become obsessed with recreating all the episodes of the Sonny and Cher show in the privacy of their garage.
In an age of ever popular jukebox musicals, the advertising of this play does the production a disservice. With the flyers and posters focusing on the flares, sequins and colourful 60s vibe, it comes as a bit of a shock when the production begins to unravel the more dramatic, and serious tone of the storyline.
The two main characters are clearly suffering psychological issues that are hinted at as the play pushes forward. Julie Brown and Peter McKnight give fine performances and have good chemistry together, though their best moments come when they are mimicking Sonny and Cher. A full-on comedy would have been more beneficial and taken fine advantage of the work that the two actors convey in these moments. Instead, the plot continually adds in too many mysteries that remain rather underdeveloped. It hints at, but leaves unanswered, too many questions regarding the family tragedy at the heart of their breakdown. Julie Wilson Nimmo arrives as a third character with a secret of her own, but her characterisation is so broad that it is another element that knocks the awkward tone of the production off kilter.
Director Kenny Miller gives the production a quirky, offbeat feel and there are moments where the claustrophobic atmosphere of the set aids the production. It’s never clear, however, whether the play wants to be seen as a comedy or a tragedy and in the end it falls rather short of being either.