Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Clifford Samuel, Amanda Drew, Magnus Gillijam, Up For Arts Choir.

All events lead to somewhere. The unseen random strands dissecting, passing along easily in infinite possibilities and unhindered, until they converge, they smash together in such an explosion of such reverberation and repercussions that could be felt for years after. The Events are how we deal with the unfolding drama and how we choose to live with the aftermath.

The Events that shadow Claire’s Life, the seemingly chance and casual actions that lead to the most terrifying day of her life may seem haphazard, out of focus and bought together by the behaviour of one man but as she learns through her own eyes, even the deeds of man are bought on by circumstances that he could not have foreseen.

As the first major touring party to come to the New Everyman Theatre, David Greig’s mesmerising play was both captivating and solid. Both Clifford Samuel and Amanda Drew performed off each other as if the audience were invited down amongst the fallen ashes of several relationships, to take stock of the fall-out of one person’s actions in the heat of the moment and the vestige of what remained of their humanity. Clifford Samuel was just sublime, taking on the roles of those that revolved around Claire’s life like the several moons of Jupiter, all going in the same direction, never crossing a celestial path and fascinating to watch. Amanda Drew, no stranger to tough roles, played the part of Claire the Vicar with such elegant tension that was so realistic that the audience were following her every move towards the very edge of her despair with desperate longing to save her.

Joining the two main artists on stage for this particular performance was the new Community Choir of Liverpool’s Sense of Sound, the superb Up For Arts Choir conducted by the pianist Magnus Gillijam. Formed in 2013, the multitude of singers who make up the Choir, gave such a fantastic recital, an illuminating display that it gave The Events that feeling of society and belonging. As the group fell apart, it mirrored wonderfully the fractured, emotional state that the vicar was feeling. To forgive is human perhaps but do you truly do that when something so horrendous has happened to you? The Choir framed The Events perfectly. With a different choir each night taking part in the unfolding drama, there is so much to look forward to in the show.

After the luxuriating drama of Twelfth Night, The Everyman Theatre truly opens its doors to a touring company and The Everyman is now reborn. A very interesting play and richly performed with outstanding valour.

Ian D. Hall