A Complex, Honest and Truthful Play, "Good Grief," Presented Online by London's Original Theatre, the Hosts of the Event, Delivers a Striking Balance of Emotion, Sorrow and Intimacy That is Absolutely Brilliant.

By James V. Ruocco

A play about grief, loss, life and survival is at the heart of Lorien Haynes's "Good Grief," a riveting piece of theatre impressively told, acted, staged and directed. Overflowing with inventiveness and immediacy, this is one of those plays that London theatergoers - and pretty much everyone else - crave with abject fascination.

Sharp.
Moving.
Enthralling.
Honest.
Glib.
Exciting.

Smoothly translated with care and attention, "Good Grief" hews to the conventions of real theater, heavily footnoted with dashes of cinematic flurry and responsibility that quickly sparks the flame during its 50-minute running time.

The play, written by Lorien Haynes, delves deeply into the lives of two people - Adam and Cat - both of whom are forced to deal with the death of Liv, a young woman who has just died of cancer. Adam, her husband and Cat, her closest of friends, grapple openly with her passing revealing anger, frustration, confusion and resentment while, at the same rime, trying to hide their sexual attraction for one another until they finally sleep together.

For Haynes's, pacing, character and trajectory are important here as is buildup, investment, resolution and a bit or two of hellbent twists and turns that no one saw coming. Her narrative scope, both original and weighty, is divided into eight individual scenes - February, March, April, May, Four Hours Later, Still May, June, October. All of this is delivered with collective affinity, deliberation and imagistic style. In turn, it warrants immediate attention and voice, delivered in natural, evocative ways that keep the play flowing at breakneck speed.

Staging "Good Grief" using a highly theatrical and cinematic approach, director Natalie Abrahami crafts a catchy, influential work of small, large and powerful moments that unfolds with edge, feeling, tenderness and excitement. The fact that you never quite know what lies ahead on the pages of scenes that have yet to be performed, heightens the play's element of surprise. For example, is something wrong or about to go wrong? Is survival, woundedness and coping with the death of a loved one, worth the aggravation? Is the potential for shame and panic about to be revealed? What personal belongings of Liv's are being kept, given to close friends or being sent to charity? Is the sex between Adam and Cat real, contrived or full-on? That said, the energy of this narrative and its many unanswered questions are entrenched with pride, passion and clarification by Abrahami.

The director's cool, precise approach to Haynes's playscript is also triggered by intimate, clever, in-your-face staging that is very well thought out, justified and imagined. The camerawork, editing, close ups and long shots (Emma Dalesman serves as cinematographer) thrusts the at-home viewer right into the center of the action. Enhanced by music, scene-by-scene titles and straightforward storytelling that often seems voyeuristic, this creative concept allows Abrahami to produce confident, winning results. 

From time to time, the backstage crew is also glimpsed transforming the place via scene changes into a workable environment similar to that on stage. It's a nice effect, edited with sharpness and precision, augmented by Isobel Waller-Bridges's catchy background score. To heighten the "Good Grief" experience, it's also best not to take a break or pause the action. By watching it straight through without interruption, the momentum of the piece is never broken, lost or compromised. 

The performances by Nikesh Patel and Sian Clifford are magnificent. As actors, they naturally project the grief and anxiety of their characters. They are focused and always in the moment. They fight. They argue. They flirt. They reminiscence. They criticize. They understand. They laugh. They touch. But they do it without contrivance and are always aware of the foundations, conversations and interactions of Haynes's script and its dramatic effect on them and the at-home audience.

Raw, powerful and thrilling, "Good Grief" relishes in its own emotional amplitude and diversity. The material itself never misses a beat thanks to Lorien Haynes' seamless, propulsive dialogue. The two-member cast brings an electrifying pulse and presence to the play text. The direction by Natalie Abrahami conveys the angst, desire and restlessness necessary to make the production soar. "Good Grief" is also facilitated by a dramatic appropriateness that is truthful, resonant and accomplished.

"Good Grief," produced by Platform Presents and Finite Films, is available to stream online, now through April, 15, 2021. Tickets are £15 (you can watch anytime, as many times as you like). Prior to purchase, you must register your account at Original Theatre online in order to watch the production.