REVIEW | The Cold Buffet, Live Theatre
Written by Stacy
Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review
You can't choose your family' is an accurate lament that leads the pathos perfectly in this play. Set in a soulless back hub of a social club, the action rotates around a cold buffet, as lifeless slices of quiche and scotch eggs witness the complexity of family life unfold across a three act story.
A funeral, a wedding and a christening bring the McCarthy family together with varying degrees of success. Complex characters crash together to create the highs and lows that threaten the social order of the family gatherings and the results play out perfectly.
Evelyn (Jane Holman) a strong, passive aggressive matriarch, has recently lost her husband, allowing her to divulge a plethora of grief, hurt, unwanted opinions and temper towards her nearest and dearest. Her son David (Jim Kitson) is skirting around what could possibly be a mid life crisis, complete with young trophy girlfriend, is gifted with the ability to make bad speeches and say the wrong thing, especially towards his emotionally repressed, gay son, Ellis (Nick Blakeley). This father/son duo is the stilted relationship that weaves between the acts with painful precision. Ellis is looking for love, validation and pride from a father who appears incapable of providing what is needed. This relationship emotes the loudest in the piece and was definitely the resolution I was fully invested in the most.
Ayeesha (Amara Karan) the trophy girlfriend, with the warmest of hearts, provided the comic relief needed throughout. Her manic wedding speech being a highlight and a half added the life and soul to balance out the equilibrium of the piece. Completing the family was Max (Beth Fletcher Morris) the young grandson and unofficial photographer, being rallied around to capture the 'joyous' moments playing out. A quiet and unassuming character that had surprising depth, was a great addition to the McCarthy set up.
The action was plenty, the storylines were vast and the relationships were magnanimous of the car crash proportions....what more could you want? Elijah Young certainly knows how to bring Northern drama to the stage.
The Cold Buffet introduces a cast of cold and complex characters to create a smorgasbord of family life and strife. The buffet maybe beige but the drama was certainly colourful.
At Live Theatre until 28 October.
