Lamesha Ruddock
That sodding dream book”
Because is a powerful, gripping solo journey into Jade’s psyche, exposing the emotional destabilisation of grief when closure is impossible. This show confronts the excuses that keep us stuck, childhood trauma, stunted relationships, superstitions as anchors, and the performances we put on to suppress our true feelings.
The story begins when Jade receives a phone call from his friend Maya, informing him that a mutual friend has passed away. This news sparks Jade’s fixation on death, the friend, and the tangled web of relationships connecting them all. His growing isolation leads him to increasingly talk to himself, much to the confusion and concern of his Caribbean mum.
Through a series of prayers, voice notes, phone calls, and internal dialogues (Jade’s last-ditch efforts at self-therapy) he reaches a breaking point. Forced to confront childhood memories and long-bottled grievances, Jade’s emotional unraveling becomes a desperate search for meaning.
Jade appears barefoot, laying everything bare, dressed simply in a velvet green durag, green shirt, black cargo vest, and trousers.
The lighting design plays a pivotal role in guiding the audience through Jade’s emotional landscape. A warm pink wash consumes Jade’s body when on the present stage, evoking intimacy and vulnerability. In contrast, the dream set is drenched in an all-encompassing blue wash, especially sinister during the eulogy scene where Jade reads the church for filth.
Hassan Govia’s incredible control allowed for seamless shifts between characters using subtle hand gestures and vocal inflections. Mum, for example, emerges with a lean back, Caribbean squint, pursed fingers, and carefully chewed words, highlighting the delicate eggshells Jade navigates. This emotional ping-pong of voices and ideas amplifies the overwhelming flood of potential conversations and defenses Jade is constantly embodying. The sound design superbly distinguishes the many stirring voices within Jade’s mind sharply cued by the stage manager.
The performance is intentionally raw and fluid, live realisations unfolding before us. Govia’s emotional control from bursts of laughter spilling into tears, then back into laughter now portraying a completely different character, was utterly captivating.
Because is an excavation of grief, and self-deception that unearths the chaos beneath composure.
Achingly honest, humourous, and a display of unforgettable craft.
You can catch Because from August 1th – 23rd at theSpaceTriplex from 3:05pm (50mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Guy J Saunders
Jake Mace
