This small, intimate performance starts from the moment you enter the room. Two man team Danny Mellor and Forest Watkins open by bantering and joking with the audience. But they easily slip into the scripted stuff and the play begins.
We have Matt, Swanny and the mysterious face of a beautiful young woman up on the wall. The play tells the story of how the three interact with art, drugs and love. Matt and Swanny are struggling artists just trying to make their way. Their home is what could barely be called a studio space, where art is created and coke is snorted off DVD cases.
Let’s be honest here, neither of them are angels. We learn more about the girl on the wall through multimedia integration as she comes alive. Her relationship with both men and her sudden departure are revealed through engaging monologues.
As the story unfolds, both actors have the chance to shine, both on their own and interacting with each other. The play explores relationships, friendship and break ups in a way anyone can relate to. Brush does a great job of illustrating common feelings and beliefs surrounding the way in which men are expected to relate to each other in the UK today. It’s a timely reminder that we can never truly know what’s going on in someone else’s head.
Brush is the debut play from Synesthetic Theatre, in collaboration with writer Melanie Anne Ball. Although a little rough around the edges, Brush is an honest, engaging and thought provoking play. Watch out for their future work.