Review: THE SOCIABLE PLOVER, Old Red Lion Theatre
Photo credit: Alberto Roa
The true beauty of The Sociable Plover is that you never really know what sort of play it is until it is too late. Is it a gentle comedy? Yes. Does it have dark and sinister undertones? Well, yes, as well.
Tim Whitnall’s sharp-witted and clever play throws together Roy Tunt, bird watcher extraordinaire, and a mysterious stranger, inside the ominous setting of a storm-battered bird hide. Roy is just one bird away from ticking all 567 British species off in his notebook and is determined to finally lay eyes on the elusive Sociable Plover.
First off, it is worth heralding set designer Jack Valentine for the excellent job he has done to recreate a typical British bird hide in a room above an Islington pub. While this play could not be described as immersive, audiences are right in the thick of the action, even being offered scotch eggs on arrival - a personal favourite of Roy’s, it soon becomes clear.
The chemistry between Roy (played by the Old Red Lion Theatre’s artistic director Jack Robertson) and the stranger we come to know as Dave (Coronation Street’s Calum Lill) lurches from comedic to intense and back again over the course of this 75-minute play.
Robertson gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as Roy, whose mannerisms and rhythm of speech must surely be inspired by legendary Corrie characters such as Norris Cole and Roy Cropper. Even for the first five minutes, when he is alone on stage, muttering to himself while cleaning out the hide, he has the audience captivated.
The actual former Corrie star Calum Lill, playing Dave, bounces off Robertson so well and the dynamic is so intriguing to see unfold. The pair are so different, not just in their characteristics but in their world views, and it feels like it will be non-stop conflict and belittling until they bond over a shared passion for power tools.
Lill gives a confident, assured performance here, which is certainly a nod to his Coronation Street villain character Joel Deering, certainly when Dave starts to crack up and show emotion. In fact, even down to the way he slicks his hair back. A great choice in this particular role.
This is the 20th anniversary production of The Sociable Plover and it is evident to see how it has endured. No spoilers here but it is fair to say, not all is as it seems inside the hide as the two men reveal more and more about themselves. It is certainly a play not to be missed for theatre lovers and twitchers alike.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Tom Ambrose
The Sociable Plover plays at the Old Red Lion Theatre until 24 May, with further information here.
