Review: The Finalists’ Showcase
By Alex Roy
This week, I had the privilege of venturing to the Assembly Rooms for the Finalists’ Showcase, a gorgeous celebration of one of Durham’s most talented graduating cohorts. Spanning dramatic monologues, explosive duologues, classical texts, contemporary comedy and acting-through-song pieces, the evening was eclectic in the truest sense of the word. Yet, despite such breadth, it never once felt disjointed. Instead, the programme flowed beautifully from one medium to another, testament to the thoughtful curation and an evening designed not only to showcase talent, but to celebrate the many different forms it can take.
The evening was underpinned by a strong technical effort from George Murray, Isabella Broxis, Anna Brzezinski, Alex McCalmont, Aoife Bowles, Tom Haigh and Dan Haines. The lighting design was particularly impressive; from the opening diminished spotlight signalling the beginning of the showcase, to the warm golden hues that frequently bathed the stage and the harsher white light that laid characters emotionally bare, every choice felt purposeful and carefully considered.
A handful of unfortunate sound issues did result in some unexpectedly deafening interruptions. While these detracted from the production quality as a whole, they ultimately stood testament to the calibre of performers onstage. Nobody demonstrated this more clearly than Grace Graham, who, during All That Jazz, continued to sing while the backing temporarily faltered. It was a masterclass in professionalism and a perfect embodiment of the age-old adage that the show must go on.
[the strength of…] the co-direction of Sam Bentley and Laurie Davidson, whose programme consistently played to the strengths of every individual performer
That same professionalism permeated the evening as a whole. The performers navigated an extraordinary range of tonal demands with remarkable assurance, moving effortlessly between comedy and tragedy, classical language and contemporary realism. Such versatility spoke not only to the strength of the cohort itself, but also to the co-direction of Sam Bentley and Laurie Davidson, whose programme consistently played to the strengths of every individual performer.
Comedy emerged as one of the evening’s greatest strengths. Posy Portwood opened proceedings with a piece from Fleabag, beautifully balancing the humour and heartbreak that define Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s writing. The performance demonstrated Portwood’s ability to pivot seamlessly between comic timing and something much more painful lying beneath the surface. Oli Butler’s Trinculo from The Tempest followed in similarly delightful fashion, his inquisitive absurdity eliciting some of the evening’s earliest and loudest laughs.
Perhaps the most uproarious moment, however, came through Pearl D’Souza’s performance of The Antipodes. Her retelling of the character losing her virginity was made all the funnier by D’Souza’s curated physicality: nervous glances, fidgeting hands and a cross-legged posture that grounded the piece in a distinctly teenage awkwardness.
Comedy also emerged through more overtly inspired directorial decisions. Portwood’s Henry VI, Part III, discussing decapitation while directing her thoughts towards a toy cat, was utterly ingenious. The image of her crowning the toy had the room in stitches, proving how a simple visual choice can elevate a scene into something truly unforgettable.
Elsewhere, the programme’s careful understanding of its performers became increasingly apparent. The decision to give Ed Clark a classical piece was particularly inspired. He possesses a remarkable ability to command a room, communicating emotional meaning with such clarity that the language itself almost becomes secondary. Yet the evening wisely refused to confine him to one register, allowing him also to embrace the comic wit of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, where he proved equally captivating alongside Damola Amusa.
Similarly, Estelle Pollard-Cox’s selections highlighted her extraordinary emotional range. Her performance of Duncan Macmillan’s Lungs was among the evening’s finest moments, occupying a beautifully ambiguous emotional space between grief, anger, desperation and profound brokenness. The piece culminated in an image of startling emotional force.
lending the performance an additional sense of intimacy and ownership on an evening that, ultimately, was about celebrating these performers as artists in their own right
There was also something especially touching in hearing Pollard-Cox perform the text in her own northern accent. Lungs, whose original production premiered in Sheffield with Bury-born actor Kate O’Flynn, is a play whose characters are deliberately anonymised, seemingly inviting each performer to inhabit them afresh. Allowing Pollard-Cox to bring her own voice and rhythms to the piece therefore felt especially fitting, lending the performance an additional sense of intimacy and ownership on an evening that, ultimately, was about celebrating these performers as artists in their own right.
The evening’s musical performances were equally inspired. Grace Graham’s rendition of All That Jazz demonstrated not only her exceptional vocal ability but also her remarkable stage presence. She carries herself with an extraordinary confidence and poise, entirely commanding the space before her. Indeed, the technical mishap that briefly interrupted the number only served to emphasise her strengths further, foregrounding the assurance and professionalism that allowed her to continue unfazed.
Similarly impressive was Aaryn McDonald-Brown’s performance of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables. Here, the lighting design came magnificently into its own, with hues reminiscent of the French flag slowly giving way to a stark white spotlight at the climactic cry of “shame”, laying the character emotionally bare just as McDonald-Brown did vocally. It was a stunning performance and one that served as a reminder of the remarkable talent Durham Student Theatre is about to lose.
A contrasting but equally compelling musical offering came from Molly Bell’s performance of Someone Else’s Story from Chess. The number’s aching introspection provided one of the evening’s quieter moments, with Bell allowing the song’s emotional uncertainty and longing to speak for themselves. Demonstrating both vocal control and a thoughtful understanding of the material, she captured the bittersweet sense of yearning at the heart of the piece, adding another beautiful shade to an already varied programme.
The decision to weave duologues throughout the showcase was another particularly successful choice. Nell Hickson and Grace Graham’s Lady Windermere’s Fan felt especially well suited to the format, communicating a complete emotional journey rather than leaving audiences feeling dropped into the middle of an unfamiliar narrative. Hickson brought a genuine vulnerability to the piece, while Graham’s confidence and emotional precision provided the perfect counterbalance.
Some of the evening’s finest direction, however, came in Act Two’s opener, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, performed by Butler and Pollard-Cox. Volatile, explosive and emotionally charged, the piece demonstrated not only the pair’s formidable acting abilities but also the directors’ confidence in handling more physically demanding material. One particularly striking moment saw Butler force Pollard-Cox back onto the sofa with startling precision, the sequence executed with such care and control that it became one of the evening’s most arresting images.
Among so many excellent performances, perhaps my favourite monologue of the evening came from Damola’s rendering of John Logan’s Red
Among so many excellent performances, perhaps my favourite monologue of the evening came from Damola Amusa’s rendering of John Logan’s Red. Following some earlier comic turns, it was refreshing to see him engage with material of such weight and urgency. Angry, pertinent and delivered with immense conviction, the piece resonated deeply and showcased yet another side to an already impressive performer.
Inevitably, the evening’s technical issues were unfortunate and did occasionally interrupt the production’s momentum. Yet if the showcase proved anything, it was the extraordinary professionalism and adaptability of its cast, who met every challenge with grace and unwavering commitment.
As one of my final Durham Student Theatre reviews, there was something wonderfully bittersweet about ending with a showcase so rooted in celebration. Over the past few years, these performers have helped shape the vibrant, ambitious and endlessly creative theatre scene that has become so special to so many of us. If this evening promised anything, it is that while Durham may be saying goodbye to some of its brightest talents, their stories on stage are only just beginning.
Image credit – Durham Student Theatre via @studenttheatre on Instagram.
