If you’ve never been to the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town, consider this your golden opportunity: David Brady’s Big Love is running until 7 November, and it’s a good one. Written and directed by Brady and performed by Samuel Warren (Sam), Big Love is a witty, comical, relatable and reflective (mostly) one-man show about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Sam introduces himself to us: he’s 27, he knows a lot of interesting facts (did you know a banana is actually a berry, not a fruit?) and he loves a big, romantic gesture. The 80s movie boombox-outside-your-window type of love, confetti cannons, and being whisked away to Paris, the city of lovers. He’s a sucker for a big public display of love, a PDL, if you will. Unravelling over the course of an hour through a stream-of-consciousness-style performance, Sam grapples with his perception of love and all that the word embodies. Big Love is, in essence, a love letter to love, relationships and friendships; a glorious reminder of embracing the small, everyday actions and gestures as symbols of love and desire. If there’s a takeaway, it’s that one should never underestimate the power of someone simply putting a banana in your bag. With context, it makes sense. I promise.
Brady’s show is a piece of meta-theatre, with Sam shifting between ‘character’ and ‘actor’. He comments on Kentish Town, the theatre itself, interacts with the audience (some of whom left me wondering if they had been strategically placed or were unassuming audience members) and his back and forth with David, who sits at the sound desk. Sam’s frequent breaking of the fourth wall adds an interesting layer to his performance, making it feel more like an intimate conversation with a friend who, let’s be honest, is going through it. At times, the show feels like it’s going off-script, with Sam seemingly guided by the audience’s reactions: laughter and reflective looks. He certainly doesn’t shy away from these interactions, which gives him the perfect distraction from his reflections on real love, as well as being able to ignore the looming red telephone that will not stop ringing. His refusal to answer it, even flirting with the idea of asking an audience member to do it for him, tells us everything we need to know about his character. He’s an idealist and avoidant, more comfortable entertaining a room of strangers than confronting whatever it is that awaits him at the end of the line.
Sam’s first reflection is on his grandparents, Pat and Peter, who were together for 63 years. Reflecting on their love almost causes him to stumble, but he carries on his merry way and continues to flaunt his quirky observations about life. But as the performance rolls on, Sam’s energetic and humorous facade begins to slip, revealing a tender, more vulnerable undercurrent: one man’s desperate search for a version of love he can believe in.
Brady’s writing is full of soul, good humour, and is a deeply relatable, considerate script. He perfectly captures those fleeting moments in life, the ones where you fall in love with a stranger, picturing your life together before the club lights turn on and the fantasy disappears into the night. His writing is brought to life through Sam’s brilliant physicality. It feels essential that Sam is the one performing Brady’s writing. It just works so well; the perfect pairing, like SpongeBob and Patrick. You can’t have one without the other. It simply doesn’t work. Brady’s writing grants Sam permission to be funny, vulnerable and serious all at once, and Sam’s performance elevates Brady’s witty, moving writing. It’s warm-hearted and thought-provoking while also being incredibly funny and silly; a brilliant piece of theatre.
It would be great to see this production evolve into a larger-scale piece of theatre or even a short film. It has all the right ingredients to evolve into something ‘more’, but it equally wouldn’t be wasted potential if it remains as is. Come for the theatre and stay to watch Sam attempt to split the G whilst David belittles (or banters) him. It’s worth it.
You can catch Big Love at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in London from 27 October to 7 November.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
