Fireflies @ The Lowry

Went to see a cracking new play at the Lowry last night. Kevin Fegan's Fireflies has got a tremendous script; a poignant, powerful message is interwoven with moments of genuine comedy, all played out by a cast of two, Naomi Radcliffe and Paul Simpson, at a relentless pace which leaves the audience almost breathless.

The action focusses around two main characters, Leigh, a single mum, and Nelson, a taxi driver. Whilst the story begins and ends with Leigh ordering a taxi which Nelson is driving, the intervening 80 minutes sees the two tell their own stories, portraying life on a less than desirable estate with a grim reality, but also with their own brand of often, it has to be said, coarse humour.

The focus moves neatly from one character and story to another, with all the characters played by the two cast members, augmented by a constant stream of video which is projected onto the set like a cinema. Sometimes adding background, sometimes providing characters for the main cast to directly interact with, this multimedia experiences takes nothing away from teh two actors, who, you feel could probably bring this play to life in an empty room.

Flitting around each other in almost perpetual motion, its easy to see where Fireflies gets its title, even without the direct references in the script. Even when not officially on stage, the cast can be seen hovering at the side, taking it in, as the stories are told, and you do get the feeling that this play is almost as much for the two of them, as it is for the audience. Almost like a sneak peak on a burgeoning realtionship.

Fireflies is brilliant experience. Go and see it - its on until the end of october at the Lowry

http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=3750