Written by Eva Tritschler and Emma François, both daughters of NHS workers, Careless places the impacts of a job in the care industry front and centre for all to see, in this unfiltered portrayal.
It’s Bryony’s (Tritschler) 25th birthday and she’s having a house party, her flatmate Sam (François) has just arrived home from a particularly awful day of work as a carer – think bile on your crocs, awful. Bryony is an aspiring actress; you can tell the two friends have very different worries and stressors in life. Bryony is laid back, hoping someone will fix her messes for her, worrying more so about mercury being in retrograde, and less so about making rent this month. Sam is dealing with the pressures of being a keyworker during the pandemic, the unrelenting pressure, and feeling as though she must cover her co-workers’ shifts, otherwise, she’s letting people down.
As a healthcare worker myself, we often forget that other people do not have days like ours. We face bodily fluids without batting an eyelid, in fact, half the time we get excited when they produce them – a sign the body is functioning! Sam’s stories from work are relatable and Bryony’s reaction resembles my friends’ when I relay tales from my shift.
François’ performance perfectly portrays that of someone feeling the burden of being overworked and underpaid, in a job where a mistake can mean someone’s life. She has a seriousness to her, fatigued, grounded, and a deadpan expression as she delivers the witty, intelligent lines of the script. There’s a point in the show where a switch is flicked and the tone of the entire play is altered. This switch also causes a change within François, as her performance suddenly ramps up a gear as she delivers tangible, tender emotion – this allows us to see both the calibre of François’ acting, and adds additional layers to Sam’s character. A believable and relatable portrayal of a healthcare worker on the brink.
Tritschler’s performance highlights Bryony’s ditzy persona, a loveable charismatic character, that you just want to shake back into the real world. Tritschler’s facial expressions are hilarious throughout, ensuring we always know exactly what Bryony is thinking.
I relished the contrasting tone of the second half of the show. Up until this point, whilst the show was enjoyable I worried this was it and thought it would quickly become slightly monotonous. This tonal change meant the show became more complex, elevating the production, and allowing greater fleshing out of the storyline and development of the characters.
Careless is an incredibly solid show, Tritschler and François’ writing is razor sharp, funny, and keeps the audience on their toes throughout. Some more dynamic staging would aid the show visually and develop the pacing, but this is an impeccably written show, with wonderful performances by the two. A perfect mixture of profound and hilarious, I’m sure the characters onstage are relatable to many (hopefully not all the plot points are, however!)
VAULT Festival has been left without a venue for 2024’s festival and beyond
• VAULT Festival have launched a #SaveVAULT campaign
• The campaign aims are to raise £150,000 by 19th March to support the festival’s survival AND to secure a new home for the festival to continue.
• You can help by donating, helping access funding networks, and helping then find a venue.
• You are officially implored to make the most of 2023’s Festival while it lasts!
{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}
2 Star Review 3 Star Review 4 Star Review 5 Star Review 2022 2023 Adaptation Almeida Cabaret Camden Fringe Cast Announcement Christmas Comedy Dance Drag Edinburgh Fringe Edinburgh Fringe Interviews Fringe Immersive Interviews Jukebox Musical LGBTQIA+ Lyric Hammersmith Manchester Musical New Musical News New Wimbledon Theatre North West Off West End Park Theatre Play Review Revival Richmond Theatre Round Up Royal Court Theatre Shakespeare Show Announcement Show Recommendations Soho Theatre Southwark Playhouse Touring Production VAULT Festival West End
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{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}
2 Star Review 3 Star Review 4 Star Review 5 Star Review 2022 2023 Adaptation Almeida Cabaret Camden Fringe Cast Announcement Christmas Comedy Dance Drag Edinburgh Fringe Edinburgh Fringe Interviews Fringe Immersive Interviews Jukebox Musical LGBTQIA+ Lyric Hammersmith Manchester Musical New Musical News New Wimbledon Theatre North West Off West End Park Theatre Play Review Revival Richmond Theatre Round Up Royal Court Theatre Shakespeare Show Announcement Show Recommendations Soho Theatre Southwark Playhouse Touring Production VAULT Festival West End
- A PISSEDMAS CAROL – REVIEW – LEICESTER SQUAREThe infamous Sh!t Faced Showtime are back in London with a festive edition, they have taken Dickens’ classic and put a drunken spin on it. The formula is the same as other iterations of the Shi!t Faced shows, one member of the cast has been boozing, and this time it is John Milton who plays Scrooge. Before the show, half a bottle of Jim Beam, some wine, and beer have been consumed in the previous 4 hours. The rest of the cast, try to keep the show on track, also aided by James Murfitt as the compere, Charles Dickens. The … More A PISSEDMAS CAROL – REVIEW – LEICESTER SQUARE
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