Downstairs at the Gilded Balloon Patter House, Shelley Middler, Amy Glass, Olivia Caw, and Olivia McIntosh take the stage in PALS, written by Mirren Wilson and directed by Tanya McDonald of Higgledy Piggledy Productions. PALS tells the haphazard story of four best friends attempting to climb Ben Lomond.
The play begins with the four friends on their way to a party, dressed as the characters from Scooby-Doo. However, both Taylor (played by Glass) and Claire (played by Caw) have come as Daphne. The arrival of Taylor as the second Daphne is played for laughs, but also works well as foreshadowing for the friction her character later causes in the group. During this bus stop scene, the eponymous pals discuss their fears of feeling average – “Are we the only ones not doing big life things?” – which prompts protagonist and narrator, Sadie (played by McIntosh), to suggest the hike.
I found Sadie’s narration sometimes charming, with some lovely lines about the friends as “timeless figures” in the Loch, but the tone is so different from the rest of the dialogue that it can come across as cheesy or overly sentimental. The characterisation of Sadie is a slight sticking point. She is played as the martyred leader of the group, quietly dealing with her mother’s Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, but at times she comes across as condescending to others, which makes her difficult to sympathise with.
The performances by Middler, Glass, Caw, and McIntosh are very strong, and the actors have an unmistakable familiarity with one another. I particularly enjoyed the moments when unrelated conversations played out simultaneously, which convincingly portrayed the foursome as an authentic friend group. Claire has some fantastic lines throughout, and the disclosure of her PCOS diagnosis to Sadie is very touching – “I know it sounds daft, but I think it’s my fault… like something I did somewhere.” However, the revelation is not handled with the gravity it calls for, with Claire’s PCOS barely mentioned again in the remainder of the play. It is unclear whether she has even told Taylor or Flo, so the reconciliation at the play’s conclusion feels a little tenuous.
Overall, PALS delivers plenty of big laughs, even if I was not completely sold on the resolution. If you are looking for a buddy comedy with feminist themes, this is a show best enjoyed with a pal of your own.
PALS is running until 12 August at Doonstairs at Gilded Balloon Patter House
Buy tickets here.
Image courtesy of Becka Clark, provided to The Student as press material.