Writer & Composer: Joe Eason
Director: Kirsten Obank-Sharpe
An exciting new play with music from Joe Eason, Two Come Home comes to London following a successful Brighton Fringe run earlier this year.
Eason, who wrote, composed and designed the piece, leads the plot as repressed gay ex-convict Evan who has built a quiet, but solitary life for himself. That is, until his erratic addict of a mother makes an appearance, his aggressively toxic father gets out of prison, and an old flame comes back to visit, all in quick succession.
A piece full of Southern U.S. accents is not necessarily what you would expect to encounter at the Camden Fringe, thoughmost of the cast delivers fairly consistently on this front. Still, an audience can’t help but wonder why go through the difficulty of so much dialect work when the production’s core themes of suppressed identity and dysfunctional family relationships are universal concepts.
The incorporation of live music is an inspired choice which yields fantastic results. Providing atmospheric underscoring, simple sound effects and original songs; the small band are a valuable asset and key players in the standout moment of the production. Gradually joined by the other musicians, Eason demonstrates mesmerisingly beautiful vocals with guitar in hand as he sings of a lost love.
Another strength of Two Come Home is the grounded, gritty way the storytelling begins. The suppressed nature of the central pair allows for an initial slow burn as Eason slowly peels back the layers of Evan and Jimmy’s history together. As the momentum increases and Evan’s chaotic parents force themselves further into the narrative, however, Eason loses some of the writing’s naturalism and the climax of the show finds itself in a domain closer to melodrama.
Eason’s performance mirrors this, growing more erratic and desperate as the simple life Evan has built for himself is overhauled by those around him. One constant throughout is how brilliantly hate-able James Burton is as Caleb. He is an arrogant, short-tempered and cruel father played to perfection and serves as a very convincing antagonist.
The King’s Head Theatre’s main space is an ambitious platform for a Camden Fringe piece and Two Come Home doesn’t waste this opportunity for a second. Eason packs a high-stakes, emotional rollercoaster into the short running time and his guitar-ballad alone is worth the ticket price. Don’t miss out on this angsty, heartfelt and captivating theatrical gem.
Runs until 18 August 2024
Camden Fringe runs until 25 August 2024
The Reviews Hub Score
Captivating
