FLUTTER-BYE
Photo: Graham Franks
Steve Barrey’s first foray into writing, from a background of high finance, entrepreneurship, music and much more, sees him dig deep into his own background. Flutter-Bye delves into a world of disappointment, parenting and music spanning the sixties, seventies and into the eighties. Set comfortably in Brighton, Mary’s career in music is scuppered by family tragedy, death and dementia and a sense of assumed responsibility. Barrey captures not only the sadness of Mary’s situation but also the humour and joy too. Steeped in nostalgia with finely wrought period detail this new work is full of promise.
Photo: Graham Franks
Jordan Langford has directed with an assured hand and allows the pace of the whole to take moments of quiet and reflective calm. But overall this is quick fire and engaging. Perhaps some of the musical moments could come sooner in the structure of the whole as the current placing seems rather hurried towards the end of the play and clutters the sadness and poignancy of the denouement. But that aside this is an entertaining fable about seizing the moment.
The work was written specifically for BBC Sussex presenter Allison Ferns. Ferns has been seen on stage before in pantomime, but had expressed a desire to Barrey to be given something more challenging to get her teeth into. And she gets her teeth sharply into this. It’s a bravura performance, full of both anger and humour. The delivery has depth and clarity, Mary is totally believable as the bold and confident performer, whether as a contestant on Opportunity Knocks or baring all as a stripper in a seedy local boozer. She’s a feisty fighter, full of charm but world weary and burdened with regret.
Photo: Graham Franks
Tinged with sadness, fuelled by great music, Ferns can certainly belt out a song, and with the tragedy that comes with dementia as an emerging thread, this work is full of promise. Allison Ferns has what it takes and Barrey clearly has a voice worth listening to.
Andrew Kay
Ironworks Studios
16 March
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