Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

In today’s world, art can be seen as being under threat. There are many who knock the idea of the young band making their way slowly into the world of performance, insisting that they should be concentrating on being a valuable member of society by finding a “real” job. The same goes for aspiring playwrights, poets and performers, too easily knocked for having an idea or wanting to be creative.

Thanks to Grin Theatre, six new writers were chosen from a huge supply of talent in the city of Liverpool to have their writing heard at the sedate and cool setting of 81 Renshaw Street. The tone of the evening, hosted by Kiefer Williams and Helen Kerr was one that was enjoyed by the audience who made their way to hear these writers’ voices heard for the first time.

The pieces, in which three were performed by actors, the superb Natalie Kennedy, the incomparable Brendan Curtis Burton and the exceptional James Wray, for whom had perhaps the busiest evening as he also performed his own 15 minute piece titled Locked Room were greeted with solemnity and great applause by all who attended, even those who for theatre is not their first port of call for an evening out in Liverpool went away discussing the merits of each ‘voice’.

With Sally Fildes-Moss engaging piece Character A opening up the evening and with the aforementioned James Wray’s Locked Room giving the sense of urgency and pathos that Grin Theatre’s Voices was highlighting, the evening proved, as if it needed to, that there is a lot of untapped potential in the city when it comes to the arts. Geoff Blundell’s delightful performance of his piece Ghost Room was cleverly written and well observed and Salsa Steps by Brian Wharton was charming and witty and with the superb Natalie Kennedy giving a sparkling performance was a real gem. The superb writing of Alison Downs was highlighted in I Clean For England and James Wray topped of an enjoyable evening with his reading of Americana.

Voices deserve to be heard, especially when there are those who are willing to have many remain silent, unspoken and unheard. Grin Theatre typify the challenge of making sure every voice is heard.  

Ian D. Hall