Theatre review: Sophie Ben and Other Problems
Sophie Ben and Other Problems
Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin
****
Sophie and Ben are a young couple in their twenties. We are
the audience in a talk that they are giving about their relationship. They are
the objects of a study. Their friend James is doing his dissertation on ‘Modern
day Millennial relationships’ and they have been asked to speak. They’re both
“a bit nervous” about giving this talk. Akin to Noah Baumbach’s recent film Marriage
Story, they begin to describe each other. They have written notes to help
themselves along: We learn, among other things, that Ben never says ‘thank you’
to the bus driver and that Sophie likes pineapple on her pizza. She is the
self-described ‘Sugar baby’ and “I’m the Sugar daddy” adds Ben, “just with no
fucking money” Sophie reminds him, Ben readily agrees. Yes, they even finish
each other’s sentences. Chemistry fizzles and the humour is sharp,
self-deprecating and gently mocking. It’s clear that this is a couple very much
in love despite their differences. The audience warm up. We know these
characters. That’s the point. It could be us.
Expertly switching between flashbacks and the present, this
couples’ story is played before our eyes. We watch their first painfully
awkward conversation in a nightclub smoking area, Conor’s delight when he gets
Sophie’s number; we cringe as we watch their fumbling love making, three months
in. “I thought boys were meant to be sex obsessed animals” a confused Sophie
exclaims to the audience. This device of breaking the fourth wall and speaking
directly to the audience allow us to become privy to the parts of a
relationship not usually seen by an observer. We are voyeurs and just this once
we manage to get the inside story. It reminds us that what we see is not always
the whole truth. Sophie never puts filters on her Instagram, she’s really proud
of that, Conor tells us. His dad says
that everyone’s life looks better from the outside. Conor’s dad is a wise man.
In a world where appearance is sometimes everything and what really counts is
too often cast cruelly aside, this play serves as a poignant, tender and often
hilarious reminder to listen, to love unconditionally and, of course, to laugh.
Chiming with the beautiful simplicity of the message, the
props and set are minimal allowing the well written dialogue and actors’ energy
to speak for themselves. Although the script at times felt stretched and the
dash between present and past sometimes discombobulating, Sophie Ben and
Other problems makes you, for sixty delightful minutes, forget about your
other problems.
Set and Lighting Design:
Rowen Clarke
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