Citylife in Lichfield September 2021

50
A Zesty Performance
By Jono Oates
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The second of a quartet of productions by Let Me In Presents has an intriguing
title – a quintet of Lemons (actually titled Lemons, Lemons, Lemons,
Lemons, Lemons) is a play adapted from the book by Sam Steiner which was
published in 2015.
This was another intimate performance and set this time at the Hub at St Mary’s on
the Market Square. There were similarities with the earlier performance of Constellations
at the Nurture Nest at Three Spires as this performance was also ‘in the round’ with the
socially distanced audience gathered round the set, which this time was a single dining
table with four chairs.
The play was also another two-hander, this time with Olivia and Bernadette, two young
women who meet and become lovers. The premise of the play is that the Government
are about to introduce a draconian new law, severely affecting freedom of speech, and
limiting everyone to just 140 words in a single day. Olivia, a struggling musician, is appalled
at the thought of this and fights the law with protests and campaigns. Her partner,
Bernadette, a lawyer, is more conscious of the power of the state and almost resigned to
the inevitability that the Act will be passed.
As Olivia and Bernadette disagree, fall out, make up and debate the implications of the
law we see them in a number of situations and experiences and the single table is used
as a setting for different locations and acted out at different times of the day. As the Act
becomes more and more of a reality, they also start to plan how they can ‘cheat’ the new
Act by inventing shortened phrases, words and using signals and they come to realise just
how important, and significant, each and every word, no matter how small, is key to their
joy, happiness, hope and well-being.
This is a sharp, witty and, in true lemons-style, zesty play and performance. Although
the premise of a Law that restricts our daily word count is ridiculous (or is it?) the two
actors give it credence and their fear, loathing, worry and pain as the fateful passing of the
Act grows ever closer is very believable and convincing. You do start to wonder what
words you would use if did become a reality and how frustrating it would be if you where
about to win a key argument when the word counter struck zero and you were left
mouthing a silent, and unheard, pithy riposte.
The two actors, Charlie Ayres playing political firebrand Olivia, and Jessica Milford as
reasonable, ‘resigned to her fate’ lawyer Bernadette were both excellent. As a two-hander
play, there was a large word count for them to learn, with a number of quick-fire scenes
and scene resets, which is a very challenging format but both actors coped with admirable
ease and expertise. As they argued, negotiated and compromised they displayed a whole
range of emotions: love; jealousy; fear; exuberance, isolation and anger. One scene, when
they were standing, both arguing, both talking loudly at the same time, but both dialogues
clearly heard by the audience, was superb. Some scenes were very funny, with some direct
acerbic language, while others were very tender, gentle and moving.
Director Paris Hoxton drew two fine performances from the young actors and the
pace was perfectly judged, each scene moves along swiftly and drawing in and, once again,
in a compact performance setting and with a limited audience, it was like having a
personal performance put on just for you, making you almost feel like you were part of
the cast.
Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons was definitely a play that made you think,
made you challenge the use of unnecessary language, made you realise how much the
modern language and vocabulary is changing and made you aware of the impact that
words can have on your relationships.
Let Me In Presents are a young production company trying to bring live theatre back
in to Lichfield, and are using a variety of locations, both inside and outside, and producing
some challenging, innovative and expressive plays that are not, perhaps, mainstream, but
are entertaining and engaging.
The final performance of the quartet of plays in the current run is ‘Wife’, performed at
the Trinity Brewery Company, from Tuesday 7th September to Sunday 12th September.
Tickets are on a ‘pay-as-much-as-you-can-afford’ basis and are available from Eventbrite
at www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/let-me-in-25582223751.