On Tuesday October 15th 2019 I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Matt Smith and Claire Foy's new show, 'Lungs,' at the Old Vic. Due to the fact that this was only the show's second preview, I went in completely spoiler free, which added to the excitement of the day even more. I have admired Smith and Foy for years, no least in 'The Crown,' in which the pair played the lead roles, meaning that I was so excited, and optimistically expectant of what was to come from 'Lungs' - and I was not disappointed!
Due to a great stroke of luck, I was sat in the second row of the stage stalls. This show is performed in the round and so this seat provided a perfect view. Performed in only one act, 'Lungs' is gorgeous in its simplicity. Foy and Smith are the only members of the cast, and never leave the stage for the entirety of the performance. The set is barely there and the costumes are a monotone grey with small pops of green - Smiths in his socks, Foys in her shoelaces. The fact that the production was so simple was really a testament to the quality of the pairs acting, as the show was entirely carried by their skills. And they did this brilliantly.
It was not until the end of the show when I began reflecting on the performance that I realised that not once are the characters names mentioned in the play. The fact that we as the audience can become so deeply invested in their loves and story, without even knowing their names, was a shocking revelation, and something that leads me to praise the incredible acting even more.
Despite the lack of physical scene changes, the show whizzes through different scenes, ending up spanning several years of the couples' life. The way that this was executed (by the actors taking a beat before moving onto a new scene) was quite jarring at first, but once I grew used to the technique it became so enthralling, keeping me on edge and waiting for what was to come next, totally unaware of when we might be moving on.
'Lungs' is hilarious, witty, clever, relevant, and utterly utterly heartbreaking. Though the script was written 'over 10 years ago', the story, with its focus on climate change and the desire to be 'good' people finds itself speaking to the audience in a way that other shows at the moment don't quite manage. Complimented by the incredible acting and the interesting stage format, 'Lungs; finds itself bearing the title as one of the best things I've seen all year. An absolute must see!
Bertie
Due to a great stroke of luck, I was sat in the second row of the stage stalls. This show is performed in the round and so this seat provided a perfect view. Performed in only one act, 'Lungs' is gorgeous in its simplicity. Foy and Smith are the only members of the cast, and never leave the stage for the entirety of the performance. The set is barely there and the costumes are a monotone grey with small pops of green - Smiths in his socks, Foys in her shoelaces. The fact that the production was so simple was really a testament to the quality of the pairs acting, as the show was entirely carried by their skills. And they did this brilliantly.
It was not until the end of the show when I began reflecting on the performance that I realised that not once are the characters names mentioned in the play. The fact that we as the audience can become so deeply invested in their loves and story, without even knowing their names, was a shocking revelation, and something that leads me to praise the incredible acting even more.
Despite the lack of physical scene changes, the show whizzes through different scenes, ending up spanning several years of the couples' life. The way that this was executed (by the actors taking a beat before moving onto a new scene) was quite jarring at first, but once I grew used to the technique it became so enthralling, keeping me on edge and waiting for what was to come next, totally unaware of when we might be moving on.
'Lungs' is hilarious, witty, clever, relevant, and utterly utterly heartbreaking. Though the script was written 'over 10 years ago', the story, with its focus on climate change and the desire to be 'good' people finds itself speaking to the audience in a way that other shows at the moment don't quite manage. Complimented by the incredible acting and the interesting stage format, 'Lungs; finds itself bearing the title as one of the best things I've seen all year. An absolute must see!
Bertie
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