Dan, Ted and Charlotte are confronting the age-old question of how to break free. Their lives are mundane and they all feel that unless they make a change today they’ll continue to drift aimlessly. The ten-year anniversary of their friend Tony’s death presents an opportunity for reflection. “Dead” Tony, played by Joe Shalom, is our narrator.
The well-written source material, from award-winning performance poet Kate Tempest, gives the cast a head start. Energetic performances are required from Eve Delaney, Dan Sanderson and Joe Sefton to convey the extensive role-swapping dialogue, both gender and characters, of the surviving friends. They do not miss a beat in delivering high-tempo banter and cope well with speedy scene changes. All this, combined with clever stage direction, means this play rattles along in only 60 minutes.
Both Tony’s narration and the actors’ relentless role swapping add further layers to the characters’ conflicts while remaining totally natural. As the play nears its end you really do want to see how things are going to turn out. There is a delicious juxtaposition between the dynamic delivery and the characters’ inertia. Wasted might leave you asking yourself if you need to make that jump!
Due to language and subject matter the age rating for this play is appropriate. However, there is no upper age limit! Do not be put off by the MTV-style promo for this play as it belies what is a very slick, meaningful production by a very talented team.
If you’re unable to see this production by the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club, make sure you save them a place in your plans for 2017.