Written and performed by Oscar Brudenall-Jones, Maybe I Should Stop is a commentary on one man’s mourning after losing his father to coronavirus. Brudenall-Jones plays Aaron, an unemployed entertainer who journeys on a train to Carbis Bay with his father’s ashes, kept in a Celebrations box, as he grapples with the emotional fallout of this tragedy.
Grief stands as the overarching theme of this play, a theme conveyed incredibly well, with Brudenall-Jones’ writing offering an honest and moving account of one man’s experience with losing a loved one to Covid; an incredibly complex emotion made heavier by blaming himself for his father contracting the virus in the first place. It is not all doom and gloom, though; the writing is peppered with humour which Aaron uses to mask his grief, bringing a degree of light-heartedness to the play. He seeks comfort in making jokes and indulging in impressions of various people, including a scarily accurate one of President Trump. Had he dipped his face in fake tan and his hair in bleach, I wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart.
Under the clever direction of Esalan Gates and the creative crew, the stage lights are used to signal Aaron’s two versions of his grief: the level-headed, emotionally stable one and the totally neurotic one. Aaron’s cheerful optimism shines through the yellow light, and his more serious, pessimistic tone lingers under the purple spotlight. I really enjoyed the use of light to convey his emotions, observing their abrupt switching, as though suggesting that Aaron has zero control over his emotions; instead, being led by the lights.
Brudenall-Jones is superb in this one-man play, delivering his story as a stream of consciousness. It is equal parts upbeat, reflective, sad and joyous, and he brings a sprinkling of excitement, eclecticism, confidence and sadness to his character and to the stage. The audience are used as his springboard, interacting with us a handful of times which brings a welcome personal touch to his play, and a mood that is both fun and engaging. From the get-go, it is apparent that Brudenall-Jones is an actor who finds immeasurable joy in performing and being on stage, allowing his charismatic talent to shine through. This is a warm-hearted, funny and moving performance, wrapped in a quick-paced, non-linear narrative that just hits the mark.
Unfortunately, I had to leave the theatre at 8 o’clock on the dot, leaving the final few moments of the play to my imagination. As I left, Aaron was standing in the sea having reached Carbis Bay, on the phone to his mother, his father’s ashes still in tow, with a final spotlight on him: a police helicopter. Despite never knowing what came next, I am certain that it was the perfect culmination to Aaron’s journey. Both my partner and I were disappointed to have to leave so close to the end, a sure sign of enjoyment, but look forward to what else Brudenall-Jones has in store in future.
If you are in search of a play that is seamlessly energising and moving, then I urge you to support Brudenall-Jones and Gates and watch Maybe I Should Stop — just don’t be a fool and leave before its finale like I did!
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