Review by Simon Jenner, January 29th 2025
Brighton Little Theatre often programmes a double bill of contrasting, contemporary one-act plays. In contrast they’ve surpassed themselves here. In a separate review to the double-bill I’ve jsut reviwed, I’m posting the second again, separately because it’s the finest thing I’ve seen this year.
Emily Jenkins’ lyrical Bobby & Amy is helmed by dramatist and director Sam Chittenden of A Different Theatre, assisted by Faith McNeill. Playing till February 1st there’s a reason it’s 85% sold out.
Jimmy Schofield and Izzy Boreham in Bobby & Amy. Photo Credit Miles Davies
Bobby & Amy
Chittenden, who also provides sound design has taken up Jenkins’ beautifully-wrought coming-of-age play. It won top Edinburgh Fringe awards in 2019, and this 70 minutes might tell you why.
What it can’t guarantee is the quality of direction and performance. Chittenden, already suffused in her own scripts like Sary, knows disturbed pastoral like few others. She’s joined here by assistant director McNeill. And with Izzy Boreham in a roll-call of very fine parts recently, and Jimmy Schofield who blew away everyone with his debut in Queers here last year, you have three simple reasons why this should tour, or be seen in London. Quite simply it’s one of the finest plays I’ve ever seen at Brighton Little. And their track record is exceptional.
Jeffrey and Bentley again supply a painted backdrop; here though in hauntingly simple pastoral ululations, a ladder and virtually nothing save an exit. They know exactly what’s required.
Jimmy Schofield and Izzy Boreham in Bobby & Amy. Photo Credit Miles Davies
When 13-year-old Bobby and Amy meet, it’s the late nineties. A world we’re told of “Take That, Tamagotchis, Dip Dabs, and Pog Swaps.” It’s a sleepy Cotswold town though. Cows dot fields and the two are drawn to them and Farmer Robb. And not to his son ‘Slayer’ Slater and his nasty ‘Goats’ (viciously rendered) the girls who bully Amy as Slayer does Bobby.
These characters and many more are inhabited by the two actors who slide gender and voice without a hint of parody. Boreham inhabits Mr Patel the Pharmacist who gives Bobby a job, and Amy’s moved-on mother who had only contempt for her dead husband; and Bobby’s gentle and violently abused mother who tells him he should go to university. There’s hints of further abuse, for instance danger with Amy’s “Uncle Ryan”, though this isn’t developed. Bobby a very bright, slightly-spectrum boy (“I like numbers: numbers are safe”) is given little chance to believe in himself. And Amy’s only in the way.
Schofield is superb as a batty old communist woman who’ll have an impact much later; and hoity Mrs Harrington-Smyth, commandingly on horse from her riding-school, and various truculent or nasty males.
Jimmy Schofield and Izzy Boreham in Bobby & Amy. Photo Credit Miles Davies
Jimmy Schofield, Izzy Boreham. Photo Credit Miles Davies
Bobby and Amy meet accidentally in a 600-year-old folly near Robb’s farm. They’re drawn in to the birth of one calf, Abigail. But this is 1999, and one day they’re faced with a cordoned-off apocalypse: Foot-and-Mouth. The cows begin to burn, Bobby and Amy face a catastrophe that will change their community forever. Yet surprisingly after many twists and sad turns in their own lives, they find themselves at the head of it. They ward off government and council people who have no wish to understand a way of life is being eradicated. Indeed it was reported to this writer by a DEFRA civil servant that an office cheer went up whenever another farm was closed for just £70,000.
Bobby and Amy’s mutual friendship becomes affirming; not only a solace but a defence against repeated assaults from bullying peers and mostly unsympathetic parents. It’s wrought in every inflection. The actors react to each other and to characters passing through them with a breath-taking rapport, moving seamlessly from one back to their core roles. Tenderness that evolves over time is hinted, never overstated; there’s a postlude of what has happened years on.
This production is achingly beautiful. Some stood; some had to sit down again afterwards and let others file out.
Bittersweet and heart-warming, this is exceptional theatre. By itself outstanding, it’s hoped by several this production might have a postlude of its own, with this team and these two young actors pitched at this moment in their careers.
Stage Manager/Painting Olivia Jeffrey, Stage Manager Paul Charlton
Set Painting Joseph Bentley
Lighting and Sound Design, Beverley Grover,
Sound Design Sam Chittenden
Lighting and Sound Operation Suse Crosby
Photography Miles Davies
Special Thanks to Joseph Bentley, Tess Gill, Sarah Humphrey and John Marshall (‘The Cow Man”) for Props on Bobby & Amy
Izzy Boreham. Photo Credit Miles Davies
James Schofield. Photo Credit Miles Davies
Izzy Boreham and James Schofield. Photo Credit Miles Davies
