Reviews
David Thacker
Lub You is an imaginative and sensitive evocation of what it must be like for a young child to face the arrival of a new younger brother or sister and a thoughtful exploration of the pressures facing the parents.
It is a beautiful script, performed with great delicacy and commitment. Although conceived for adults, it presents a wonderful opportunity for children and adults to share a challenging and stimulating theatre experience.
David Thacker, Artistic Director
The Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Audience feedback from 24:7
‘Absolutely amazing. Didn't want it to end…’
‘Excellent. Superb, 4th year I've been - and by far the best I've seen in 4 years, and I've seen a lot! Can't praise it enough. Amazing.’
‘Bloody brilliant writing, direction and acting. Made me laugh, made me cry. Excellent.’
‘Fantastically original. Like nothing I've seen before!...’
‘Beautiful! Great original writing, very moving. The physical theatre aspect along with the music moved me to tears.’
‘Original idea; funny darkly comic. Incredible use of physical theatre. Brilliantly acted.’
‘Very clever and well comically replicated the life of children. It has certainly broadened my horizons of what can be done.’
‘What an act! What a script! Fantastic! Thank you to Eve Steele!’
‘Fantastic, amazing physicality, great music, fantastic actors. Totally engaging, fast moving.’
City Life
WRITTEN by Eve Steele and directed by Ed Jones, this is one of the most innovative pieces of theatre seen at the 24:7 Festival.
Inspired by the reaction of Steele's firstborn to the arrival of her second child, this work is told from the child's perspective with the children narrating whilst the adults verbalise in baby-talk.
Interwoven throughout are the nightmarish dreams and daytime thoughts of the child who feels threatened by the new arrival and these are acted out in effective mime.
An excellent cast sees the playwright as her own son Charlie with Amy Spencer winning the laughs as the new-born Bo-Bo.
Tanya Huq and Ted Holden are also good as the sleep-deprived parents.
This is the first play by Eve Steele, a fresh and interesting voice in theatre. Definitely worth a visit - particularly if you're a parent!
Natalie Anglesey, 21/07/09
Whats On Stage
Lub You is one of the most imaginative, perceptive and amusing plays I’ve seen in this year’s 24:7 Theatre Festival.
The playwright Eve Steele's story about the jealousy of a little boy, Charlie, for his new brother comes straight from the heart.
It is not easy for an adult to play the role of a child and even more so a young child but Steele, who stars as Charlie, transports you into his little world as does Amy Spencer as the younger Bo-Bo. We see them squabbling in their joint push chair and sharing a bath where Charlie does a wee-wee on Bo-Bo’s tummy. We watch with fascination their reaction to one another and the world of grown-ups.
The company use music and physical theatre to enhance the theme particularly where the adults are concerned. Everyone can relate to this gem of a play. After all, we were all kids once.
Julie Taylor, 21/07/09
The Public Reviews
Making her writing debut with Lub You is Eve Steele, using her own experiences of her own children to create the piece she has weaved a fantastic piece of physical theatre that is one of the festivals true highlights that taps right into the mindset of a youngster and all that trouble them.
Seen through the eyes of Charlie, we see his love of rangers, play fighting with his dad, the hatred of new baby Bo-Bo, the post-natal breakdown of his mum Vicki and the breaking up of his parents and the joys and pitfalls of having two bedrooms to sleep in.
Charlie is played beautifully by Eve Steele with a strong physicality and glorious facial expressions one can’t help but remember all the moments that she vividly brings to life from our own past experiences. Playing Bo-Bo is new graduate Amy Spencer, who for the majority of the play grimaces and crys but really comes into her own in the final ten minutes of the piece when Bo-Bo learns to talk.
Playing Vicki is also new graduate Tanya Huq, not only stunning to look at physically but a fantastic actress to boot, the breakdown of her character transposed into dance is one of the best singular pieces of physical theatre I have seen. One couldn’t help but feel more could have been made of Ted Holden playing Jay, the put upon father, but when he is on stage he holds his own with his sheer physical presence.
Ed Jones has directed this piece with a sharp eye, and makes sure that the pace is kept upbeat and the tension is rung to its maximum effect, with well observed mannerisms, and choreographed routines this show packs a real punch for your pound and I can truly say I LUB this show!
John Roberts, 22/07/09