Frenemies is a comic vignette series of six short plays that convey a snapshot of people that we all love to hate, including colleagues, flatmates and just general annoying members of the public. SEDOS are taking this production to the Edinburgh Fringe, and in essence it is perfect fringe material, due to its rhythm, pacing and comic timing that will keep fringe goers entertained by its face pace and 10 second impressions.
The common embodiment that connected all the scenes was the concept of toxicity and chemistry with others, and wanting to put our own needs and purposes ahead of all others which again is the baseline of human instinct. All in all the sketches were a tad ridiculous and overacted, but that just added to the irritation that the cast wanted to convey to the audience, and it was all part of the act! I loved every scene, as at some point or another I have crossed paths with the energy sapping and negativity of these real life characters. Every character portrayed here is real, and whilst we choose to avoid these people they are everywhere and get under our skin at some chosen time. The stage setting was minimal, but tube, car and shipwreck scenes were artistically played that is was obvious where the audience were being transported to.
The one hour duration was the perfect timeslot as it gave honour to showcasing the work of the international writers at large, but also didn't go into repetition overdrive which is always a core worry for shows like these where often the same jokes are worn out. The cast ensemble of 8 doubled up to play numerous characters, but also permitted the show to drive through diversity and fresh scenes with new faces. In particular, Juliette Chrismon excelled as an anxious parent in the Principles scene which really showed off her varying emotional range in arguments with school authorities, to then being a loving parent who tenderly looked after her daughter on the car ride home. Chrismon doubled up in the wanna hear a joke sketch as a good friend just putting up with annoying behaviour. Let's face it we have all been there, and the parody of love and hate is so fine a line to cross and it made me realise that perhaps we do all have people in our lives that fit into both categories simultaneously.
The six stories in order were;
I can tell your handbag is fake by Dean Lundquist
This sketch was very London and I enjoyed the competitive bitchiness of the women all vying to outdo each other, due to the price and size of their handbag all from a simple tube ride where no-one is safe from being eyed up or shut down. The scene was a cohesive mix of fantastic choreography as the women archetypally were beating each other in almost a synchronised dance movement. The physicality of the scene worked superbly well, and the actual meaning behind this scene rings true to modern day life in that materialism defines our identity. The three female characters in this scene convincingly portrayed the female bitch streak effortlessly, and the audience genuinely felt real plight for the girl whose handbag was possibly fake?!?
Necessity by Daniel Saunders
This scene was perhaps the most disjointed theme from the others that were more synthetically connected. However, the theme of survival in extreme conditions of being stuck on a raft in the middle of the ocean brings out our killer and selfish instinct of wanting to protect ourselves first and foremost over anyone else. I enjoyed this scene the most as it strayed away from known and cliché topics, and literally transported the audience to a life and death situation. Who would we throw overboard, if we could only save ourselves?
The Kill by Alex Broun
A short tale of two friends who start a bit of a fantastical conversation/psychological thriller plot ending in one mate who is desperate to get rid of his friend so he can hook up with his girlfriend. When this show ended, I still didn't quite know what the symbolism of the tomato was about, but it was eventally squashed and therefore the guy had one ingredient less for his romantic dinner for the GF.
Wanna hear a joke by Daniel Saunders
The concept of this scene was to put together two forced friends- one highly excitable and abit autistic, and then another friend who just keeps it real and enjoys solving puzzles with their rubrix cube. The moral of the story is sometimes we just put up with people who we don't real click with, just to be a good person and we can't find it in our hearts to kick them out of our life, but let's face it what is their purpose, other than sapping and draining your energy.
Principles by Deborah Poznansky
School run politics, and 'my child is better than your child' boils every parents blood. I am sure every parent in the audience would relate to the bully tactics of school principals, governors and parent on parent rivalry. The scene was a beautiful juxtaposition of the innocence of children playing, and being oblivious to parental and teacher conflicts of trying to keep 2 school children apart. Principles had more meat on the bone in terms of written dilemmas and acting conflicts than many of the other scenes, and perhaps deserved a little more airtime.
Perfect Couple by Chris Davis
Enough said. Beatrice and Hugo not just your average working couple who are struggling to juggle work and home life commitments. No- Beatrice and Hugo are superficially a 'perfect couple' who appear to have it all. Everyone at some point in their lives have met a Beatrice and a Hugo (perhaps not their namesakes, but certainly a couple with a condescending attitude) of why don't you have a six bed detached home in the home counties, 2.4 children who go to the best private school in the whole of England, and of course mummy doesn't work.
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