Small Change – Omnibus Theatre, London

This revival of Peter Gill’s Cardiff-set ‘memory play’ is not what I usually like in a theatre outing, but the production won me over.

Small Change

Small Change, a Both Barrels Theatre production on now at the Omnibus Theatre in Clapham, is a revival of a 1976 work by Peter Gill. Gill is both a playwright and director, having worked at the Royal Court, Riverside Studios, National Theatre and more, as well as writing numerous plays since the 1960s.

Small Change is a semi-autobiographical work. It explores the relationship between two boys and their mothers, as well as their nascent yet ultimately unfulfilled feelings for each other (worth a reminder at this point that Gill was writing when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain). I have seen the play described as ‘non-naturalis’, and ‘non-linear’, and I think both of those are good terms for it. It opens with a series of seemingly overlapping, disjointed reminiscences from the characters, before becoming more and more intertwined. The timeline flits between the 1950s, when the boys were young, and the 1970s when they are at the end of youth. Gerard Harte (played by Adam Rush) looks back on his childhood, trying to pinpoint the moment that defined him. As memories unfold, we see big, cataclysmic events, as well as the drudgery of post-war working class home life.

Long-time readers will know that I’m generally a fan of fairly linear, narrative plots. I like to know what’s happening, and to understand why I’m watching a play. Strangely, though, although some of these elements were absent from Small Change, I still found it rather appealing. I mean sure, at times I did lose the thread of what the characters were on about, but this is a play that sort of washes over you, more of a mood than a story at times.

How To Stage A Memory Play

I think the first reason that I enjoyed Small Change in spite of myself was that it was very well-directed. George Richmond-Scott navigates the text masterfully, and the cast weave between frank and naturalistic asides to the audience, and stylised, symbolic moments. This balance couldn’t have been achieved without solid acting, and I was impressed by all cast members, particularly Adam Rush as Gerard, and Sioned Jones as his mother. And credit must also go to movement director Rachel Wise for her part in choreographing the frequent changes in scene and tone.

I also thought the set and sound design was a perfect response to a play like this. Liam Bunster has created a minimalist set – plain stage, red boxes used to signify any number of settings, offset by white arches in the background. A more literal set design couldn’t possibly have kept up with the jumping narrative, but what Bunster has given the actors to work with is just evocative enough to help set the scene. Add in Lex Kosanke’s naturalistic sounds, and suddenly you have terraced houses, a pub, a clock ticking away the boring hours in a housewife’s day. An excellent pairing.

In summary, this is an intriguing play. I almost feel like I need to go again now I know what to expect. And if I did, I would probably take something completely different from the experience. If you are now likewise intrigued, Small Change is on at the Omnibus until next Saturday, and you can find more information here.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 3.5/5

Small Change on until 2 October 2021

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