A night out at the theatre can evoke many emotions; feelings of sadness, joy, empathy are drawn out as we engage with the actors. It is also fair to recognise that opinions on a performance can differ. What one person enjoys about a production may not be reflected by another person, even when sitting in the same theatre on the same evening.

This week students from UCS attended Time for the Good Looking Boy. We received two reviews, each valuable in their own right, and each offering a different perspective by the students who attended.

Under the pretext of an urban ghost story studded with bursts of ‘rap’ songs, writer Michael Wicherek has written and produced a clever, one-man play that draws out issues such as unconditional love, regret and responsibility.

The absorbing, one-act play lends itself perfectly to the intimate surrounding of the Wolsey Studio. The story is told from a very minimalist set, so there is little to distract from Carl Chambers’ energetic and memorable performance as The Boy. Chambers captures the audience’s imagination and sympathy from the beginning and throughout the hour long play, which personally I felt flew by, Chambers proves himself to be an extremely versatile actor portraying not only the witty, misunderstood youth, but also seven other characters with great conviction.

Throughout the play, the audience is taken on a journey of twists and turns, both amusing and thought provoking, eventually closing in on the saddening theme of ‘things left unsaid.’ There is a noticeable intensity to this play, particularly when sat in the first few rows, which consequently heightens every emotion - so prepare yourself to laugh out loud and weep like a baby!

The play is a very well-crafted “culture mash-up” combining urban dialects with lyrical, poetic styles and original rap songs with emotional, dramatic monologues. Time for the Good Looking Boy strips away the preconceptions that surround the ‘street kid’ revealing an unforgettable character that contrasts street-wise adolescence with childlike vulnerability.
It was thrilling to see theatre stripped back to its core yet still manage to deliver a gripping performance. Chambers is an absolute joy to watch, whether he is rapping, dancing, cracking jokes or inviting the audience into his dark, childish nightmares. Time for the Good Looking Boy is a must-see if you still believe in the power of great theatre, and one person’s ability to take you through every emotion in the book. Enjoy!

Jazelle Johnson and Julie-Ann Bell

Driving on the M25, looking forward to an evening at the Theatre, when my phone rings and a message is left to say, “Sorry I can’t join you at the theatre tonight I am not well”. My instant reaction was that I did want to go on my own, so I am pleased I kept driving towards Ipswich as this was a performance not to be missed.

On arriving in Ipswich I was delighted to find street parking relatively close to the New Wolsey Theatre, just a brief walk away. On arrival at the theatre, there was quite a gathering and the atmosphere was full of hilarity and expectation. As I queued for my ticket, I became rather concerned that I had turned up on the wrong evening as it appears that the show for this evening was Our House. I thought shall I go home and check my email and come back on the right night, or shall I just ask for my ticket and see what happens. I chose the latter.

Initially I was rather annoyed to be informed that the show I had tickets for was not at the New Wolsey Theatre but at the studio on St Matthews Street. Having driven down from London, and not knowing Ipswich very well, it sounded a good 15 minutes’ walk away. I set off to find the studio which was, in fact, only 5 minutes away. On arrival at the studio, only a five minute walk, I was somewhat disappointed to find a ‘village hall’ type building when I was expecting something somewhat grander. I collected my ticket and did a visual search of how to go through to the theatre. After a few minutes I asked the barman, he said “you will be taken through at 7.40 altogether”. Shortly after the conversation with the barman a whole school party arrived and the foyer was full, the atmosphere was noisy with much laughter.

At the stated time 7.40 the doors opened and a stampede of teenagers emerged, so having been one of the first people at the theatre, I was now at the back of the queue with visions of sitting on the back row (seat numbers not allocated), however, fortunately teenagers do not like the front row so I actually had an excellent view of the performance.

This ‘one man show’ started 10 minutes late. The set, although very basic, was fully integrated into the performance and used to enhance the audience’s understanding of the story and encouraged the use of their imagination. Carl Chambers plays an 18 year old boy, who shares his inner thoughts about his love life, love of his family and his view about the future. Carl very skilfully took the audience through a roller coaster of emotions, all based on his need to appease his conscience; his clarity of speech, engagement with the audience and physical movements kept the audience spell bound. The performance although a tragedy, was funny, sad and clever, with Carl playing seven different characters, all clearly recognisable and thought provoking. The use of soundtracks and the occasional rapping provided a different vehicle to express emotions and kept the audience guessing as to what mode of communication would be used next.

This is a brilliant one man show. It should be compulsory viewing for all 17 year olds – you will have to visit the theatre to find out why, and is suitable for adults whatever their age and Carl Chambers is a very talented young man.

Camille Nickson

Undergraduate, University Campus Suffolk

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Natalie Chaplin