Theatre Review: Nativities, Live Theatre, Newcastle (From The Northern Echo)

Theatre Review: Nativities, Live Theatre, Newcastle

2:40pm Friday 17th February 2012 in Entertainment

IT’S been nearly five years since the heady days of The Pitmen Painters premiere at the Live and, sadly, Nativities is another offering that won’t be mentioned in the same breath as the story of the painting Northumberland pitmen.

Set in the Scion Communications call centre, staff reply to irate customers complaining about faulty electrical appliances. It’s a place where a bullying supervisor puts targets and league positions (and his own position) before everything. It’s also a tense office compounded by a broken air conditioning system.

As the title implies, the central theme is birth. Hence, supervisor David (Paul Woodson) is at the forefront of procreation – with his staff Stella (Samantha Neale) and Chelle (Laura Norton).

Worldweary Clive (Christopher Connel) is married to midwife Louise (Phillippa Wilson) who insists his beloved fishpond is filled in just in case their future child falls in with fatal consequences and line leader Madge (Melanie Hill) talks non-stop about her son, Harry, who is living in Australia with his wife and son.

Most of the scenes involved two actors speaking monologues across the other’s monologue, giving the impression that no one listens to anyone else.

Covering the range of pathos, high comedy and melodrama, it never really developed into anything other than a series of sketches broken up by interminable blackouts in a first half that came in at an overlong one hour and ten minutes. A faster pace and judicious cutting were called for.

The bright spot was the quality of acting. While they all played their stock roles with aplomb, Hill, playing the most original character – obsequious Madge – provided some empathy.

􀁧 Until March 3. Box office 0191-2321232 and online live.org.uk