Kirst and I arrived at The Pavilion Arts centre in Buxton just after 7pm, ready for a 7:30 start. We had chosen seats at the back of the Bleacher tonight for a change, giving a great view and good sound coverage. The seats themselves are ok for an hour or so – I’m a fidgeter anyway, no matter where I sit!
Strawberry Jack is the fourth episode of Joe O’Byrne’s ‘Tales from Paradise Heights’ we have been to see, and after first seeing his wonderful ghost story ‘The Haunting of Blaine Manor‘ at Buxton Opera House.
Paradise Heights is Joe’s imagined northern community, connected to everywhere in Britain it feels, through a collection of real people with harsh backstories who are just trying to live their lives – whilst holding on to secrets, loves, hates and longings that endeavour to drive them mad.
Jack Grundy, the eponymous ‘Strawberry Jack’, is clinging on to the last days of his career as a bouncer, a hard man, a fighter, but he has secrets to keep. Some for obvious reasons, and one to protect someone he loves. Which will be his downfall? The first half of the play introduces Jack and his Bouncer colleagues Deaf Freddie and Dave and Zoe at the Night Club – Ace of Spades. The nonstop banter to-and-fro gives hints of shared histories and deeds good and (obviously) bad, which have led their relationships. We meet Mandy – tragic and broken but with an underlying need for human love, and we see and hear the ephemeral Shirley. Then Melvin, a quiet character who slowly builds to be pivotal. The second half blasts onto the minimalistic stage causing a tornado like trail of human debris. Deceit and murder and double-crossing happen without a blink, with the six actors reacting to the language given to them with relish, spitting out emotions and wearing them on their sleeves and visibly on their faces.
With Joe’s repeating theme of ghostly apparitions and voices echoing through the ages, Strawberry Jack carries on from the other plays in the series very nicely. A message from beyond. A memory misremembered. A forgotten love that ultimately brings about the final deadly blow.
For a short period towards the end, I actually thought we had a happy ending coming to us, the audience, as we sat there riveted to our chairs. But no – Joe don’t do no happy endings!
The small cast all seem to enjoy their shift together, playing off each other’s characters with seamlessly. Peter Slater once again giving us a lesson in both how to be liked and how to definitely not be liked with his two roles. Rob Mitchell-James owning the title character completely, and Sarah Burrell as Mandy, showing hurt and fright and forgiveness and loss in equal measures. Jack Vardy ‘Dave’, in his apparently first professional role showed menace and I am sure he will go on to great things. Lauren Greenwood with two differing roles did well with both and brought real steel into her portrayal of Zoe. Joe O’Byrne himself played Deaf Freddie with depth and a dark, sinister glee.
I loved the play. I urge you to give it a go – but whilst applauding at the end, do try to remember this is just a story, thank God. Strawberry Jack is dark. It is loud and funny and upsetting and cold. It takes on very dark themes and dredges through very dark acts, while reminding us that all these things happen to real people. People just like – us.
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