Writer: Tom Hartwell
Director: Conor Cook
Which would be better as a soundtrack to sleep – howler monkeys screaming, or your ex’s soothing voice describing how disappointing you are?
James is lucky – he can have both! Tom Hartwell’s short but effective comic play packs in an exploration of the impact of insomnia, difficult breakups and some interestingly punchy additional points on creativity, personality flaws and relationships.
Drawing us into the world of James (a struggling, not very good, stand-up comic played by Hartwell) and Claire (a voice-over artist played by Katherine Moran) as they break up, we’re treated to their story through flashbacks. The hour we’re with them is shot through with comedy routines from James, and bits of voice work from Claire, to give us all sides of their sad but regular story. With Claire’s voice following James around through his mindfulness sleep app, tube announcements and electronic checkouts, his insomnia is made more acute and we get a glimpse of how disruptive it is to his mental health.
James seems lazy in the relationship, selfish, and mines the most intimate moments of his time with Claire for cheap (and poorly constructed) routines on stage. Hartwell, writer and performer of this role, manages a neat trick – a gently unlikable guy with some positive qualities who doesn’t turn out a cartoon of “the bad boyfriend”. Claire, on the other hand, while not the perfect girlfriend either, is quite sweet, and Moran’s performance is a lot of fun as she explores the character’s strengths and vulnerabilities.
Director Conor Cook is also responsible for the audio and soundtrack here (great lighting by Jonathan Simpson) and does a good job of marshalling all the disparate formats (sound, flashbacks, stand-up sections) to flow coherently. While it mostly mixes well, some parts feel like bonus content, rather than being part of the piece, but are still quite enjoyable. This is most clearly felt in the coda where Claire gets her own back through a stand-up routine targeting James (and who is far funnier than him). It’s enjoyable, and often hilarious as well as insightful into the nature of relationships with people that just don’t work out, but it’s still a little mushy in spots.
Produced in association with The Sleep Charity, there’s a genuine message in here about the need for healthy sleep patterns and what it takes to focus on this as an aspect of a healthy life. It’s interesting that while most of James’ issues are not a result of sleep problems, he comes across as unlikable enough that even if there’s a chance sleeping better can make us nicer than him, it’s worth putting in the effort. A good message, well carried.
Runs until 11 March 2023
