On Thursday, An Oak Tree came to life for its 417th performance, this time at the Brighton Dome with Ruth Wilson as the guest actor.
Having spoken to Tim before the show, I had some idea of what to expect, but nothing quite prepares you for the strange calm of it all. The performances were powerful, layered and deeply human, but what really stayed with me wasn’t the acting, it was Tim’s writing.
The way he weaved the narrative felt effortless. One moment the actors were completely in character, the next they were looking straight at us, folding the audience into their world without it ever feeling forced. It slipped between story and self-awareness so naturally that it was like being carried along by a current; smooth, unpredictable, but never jarring.
There was a rhythm to the whole thing that made it almost hypnotic. I don’t mean to be so on the nose given the play revolves around a hypnotist, but whether it was intentional or not, Tim really did that during the play.
There are many parts of the play and Ruth’s performance I’d love to describe, but I couldn’t possibly do that as then I’d ruin the unknown. As discussed in my interview (available here) with Tim, the guest actor is fed the script live on stage, sometimes through an earpiece, sometimes by sight-reading off an unassuming clipboard. To give any of it away would ruin it for the next guest actor.
On stage, Ruth grasped the script in her hands and, after delivering a powerful speech, was handed a tissue by Tim. The whole time you don’t know if it’s part of the performance, an act written in for the father she plays grieving the loss of a child, or her own emotions playing out on stage. Before you can guess, you’re whisked into the next scene.
The writing was sharp but emotional, witty but never trying too hard. It made me think about how rarely theatre manages to feel this alive, like it’s breathing with the people watching it.
By the end, I wasn’t even thinking about where the story began or ended. It was more like an experience, something fluid and a bit intangible, but completely absorbing. The play pulled you in quietly and didn’t let go until the lights came up. It’s a must-see; leap at the opportunity to watch it any way you can, is the advice of The Brighton Journal.
Did you miss An Oak Tree but want to head to The Dome this week? The venue is bursting with exciting shows. On 8 November they welcome Emily Rawicz to the stage, the rising star of the British jazz scene.
Whether you’re a lifelong jazz lover or just dipping your toes into the genre, her show promises to be unmissable.
