Unfolding Theatre Breaks Bread with the people of Diss

Posted on 20th May 2022

Unfolding Theatre’s deceptively complex examination of memory, family life and friendship was a delightfully positive, yet unusually thought-provoking two-hander, written by Luca Rutherford. There was dancing on tables, music from Maximo Park’s Paul Smith, free drinks, and freshly baked bread in this joyous celebration of life in all its complexities. What a delight to see that the Corn Hall is prepared to put on such bold and interesting shows.

Rutherford is also one half of the tag team performing a show that brimmed with a zest for life and a thirst for knowledge. Together with the more stoic Alex Elliot, she examined the fragility of what we think we know about the past, and by implication, how meaningfully we can anticipate the future. The two of them exhibited a real chemistry that informs the drama throughout, blurring the line between actor and character. To paraphrase a key line from the play, are they close friends or work colleagues? And just how much of what we are told are we to believe? The pair of them put in such strong performances that it was nigh on impossible to judge where a fictional line had been crossed. Luca and Alex certainly never let on, and the play is all the better for it.

I will take issue with them on one point, however.  Luca insisted that shortly after seeing their performance the audience will forget nearly every detail. Not so, I’m pleased to report. I first saw Hold on Let go at the Edinburgh Fringe back in 2019 (My guess would be they’ve been trying to tour it ever since). Contrary to Luca’s proposition, the play is every bit as involving and heart-warming as I remember. The bread, too, baked for the audience before our eyes, was as good as I recall.