This play has at least one leg

I Won’t Be Happy Until I Lose One of My Limbs
by Julie Hill
A Win Win Biscuit Factory production
Directed by Andrew Foster
The Basement, Greys Ave
February 2 –19

Apparently there’s a condition where people feel they would be more complete without some parts of their body. It probably applies to limbs but it might be other bits as well.

In “I Won’t Be Happy Until I Lose One of My Limbs” one of the female characters, O’Gradient has succumbed to the condition at the opening of the play and one of the plays story lines shows what leads to her taking action to remove the leg.

The half dozen main characters and a few other transients are all played by Gareth Reeves and Nisha Madhan which at times leads to a bit of confusion for the audience. However, that doesn’t really matter as the play is pretty much a surreal fairy story for adults peppered with some patches of stand up comedy.

Just as O’Gradient seeks completeness through incompleteness so all the characters of small town of Love Mountain have personalities which could do with a bit of help in facing reality and firming up.

There is the family which has mislaid a father and the guy who has a direct line to God and who is given power over women but can’t choose the right one.

The play owes something to the nihilism of Beckett but never gets too bleak. Writer Julie Hill seems to be more interested in producing some great little monologues which drift along but never really build a strong storyline.

It’s an entertaining journey though, with some great verbal and visual gags as well as some well judged interaction with the audience.

Gareth Reeves and Nisha Madhan hold the play together brilliantly. They inhabit the vast space that has been created in the Basement Theatre as though it is their natural home.

The space with its multitude of props including a large paddling pool is used as though they have invited us all to a party and then have embarked on the show as a bit of theatrical distraction

If you don't like being the interactive part of a show, don’t sit on the comfortable couches or beanbags. Get there early and be in to have free ice creams.