Meeting your perfect match electronically can prove to be harder than you think. The electronic language of potential lovers is complicated, and before you even begin to consider any interest you'll have offer information such as; your eye colour, your hair colour, size, sex, religion, language, interests, habits and personality. Do you have; money, a sense of humour, a car, job, pets, a house. Are you good at; gardening, sex, running, cooking, cleaning, socialising, the list is endless…
“A different Language” by Suspect Theatre Company follows two lonely people. A man and one woman sign up with a dating agency, they must fill out a lengthy questionnaire before they are able to be matched to their perfect partner, the electronic band to love, even marriage.
The set (Designer Luigi Mattaiazzi) reminded me of a massive Scalectrix or a mini roller coaster track. It added levels, contrasts, height and an edge to the performances. It lifted the actors off the stage and made the show far more three-dimensional had it not been there. The two actors make their way around, under, and up and down the twists and turns. The Direction (Dir. Graham Eatough) is fast paced with lots of movement, voice over, and mirroring. At times it can become confusing, although this, I think, may have added to the pleasure of the performance which is presented successfully combining the Italian and English languages.
A young English woman (Selina Boyack) Switches from a prim, rigid, English teacher searching to strike the perfect match, to her contrasting role of being the matchmaker, where she comes alive as the slightly devious, at times sexually adventurous woman who hopes to make the man into a man woman desire. Selina Boyack is an interesting performer with a twinkle in her eye. She plays the characters in a controlled and focused manner, and often brings many a laughs.
(Sergio Romano) Portrays an Italian man in search of the perfect woman, he claims to have lots of sexual experience, a great sense of humour and the body of a builder…but can he live up to this?
In his other roles as the dating agency adviser his plays a more confident, persuasive character, which is handsome, charming, comical and rather direct when comes to brining the lady out of her shell as he teaches her how to Shake that ass, grind and move to the music. Sergio Romano is an entertaining, engaging performer, and the audience warm to him very quickly.
I did imagine this performance with a little more money injected, as it definitely has the potential for bigger things, but on the other hand it might just be sweeter for it to stay the size it is.
“A Different Language” is an exciting piece of European Theatre. The creative team have clearly managed to take a rather simple idea and transform it into an unusual, clever piece of theatre.
