Beginning: A Touching Two-Hander about Taking the Plunge
“Stay and finish your drink” - Laura and Danny’s story starts as the party comes to an end.
Laura (Erin Shanagher) is a successful independent woman, proud homeowner, and confidently forthright host. Charming and impressive throughout, Laura’s character evolves to tackle the tangled topic that sees women torn between “modern” and “traditional” stereotypes.
Beginning is a familiar depiction of the brave leap of faith into a new relationship. It also unfolds as a discussion of being an achieved modern woman who can’t help but crave what you’re “not supposed to” want at all.
Set in the Royal Exchange’s iconic in-the-round formation, we are intimately entwined in this two-hander. The audience are audible in their responses throughout, welcomed as guests to this shared event.
Set in real-time, without breaks, the show is laid bravely bare. Without a moment of ‘lights-down’ respite, we must ride out any awkward moments together, projecting our own experiences of universally cringe courting rituals - often to hilarious effect. David Eldridge’s play truly does hold a mirror up to nature, offering relatable moments for each and every audience member. In doing so, Beginning is at once a masterful composition of observational comedy, and an incredibly moving commentary on modern life.
Director Bryony Shanahan has taken Eldridge’s script and extruded an impeccable balance of humour, tension, and silence from between the words. And punctuating this drama is a liberal scattering of Mancunian references, which the audience lap up.
Gerard Kearns as Danny is endearingly down-to-earth, appropriately awkward, and hugely funny. But it would be unfair to brand Kearns as the ‘comic relief’ of the pair. Shanagher’s Laura counters by finding humour in the simplest movement and pulling facial expressions visible even from behind. And Kearns, as Danny, offers up some truly touching moments amidst the emotional seesaw narrative.
The set design by TK Hay grounds the production in reality. The solid, chic design is immovable, warning us that there will be no artistic scene changes or “three weeks later” time leaps. The only changeable part is the carefully curated clutter: remnants of the party that we missed, turned props for several charming physical comedy sequences.
Just two actors on stage, for a single extended scene - I was blown away by what the pair (and the company) created. Beginning is uplifting, relatable, and bloody funny. It’s honest and understated whilst wrangling important topics about gendered expectations and our very human desire for shared experience.
Beginning plays at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester until 11th March. For tickets and information, visit the RX website.
Photos by Helen Murray.
