Two Strangers and a Clipboard

Two Strangers and a Clipboard is one of those plays that manages to do something increasingly rare; it entertains you thoroughly while also leaving you with plenty to think about long after the curtain comes down.

Maria Speight’s writing is excellent. It takes the politics of identity and places it within an intriguing and cleverly constructed narrative. Namely a courtroom plea to have a person’s choice of identity recognised which is set against a society that allocates specific identity at birth. This fascinating premise allows the play to explore some very contemporary questions without ever becoming a dry political debate. Choosing to make it a comedy is a masterstroke. This allows the argument to be rooted in character, circumstance, and most importantly humanity. Laughing one minute and the next shocked by the absurdity.

There is a wonderful balance to the writing, and with clever direction by Nicky Diss the play seeks to consider both sides while continually questioning assumptions about identity, individuality and systems that determine who and what we are supposed to be. It is thought provoking without ever becoming the least bit preachy, and above all it remains extremely funny.

The four actors; Gaby Coleman, Matt Vickery, Kimberely Ellis, Lucy Forker all deliver wonderfully nuanced and strong performances, each bringing distinct qualities to their characterisations, while creating a convincing and tight ensemble. There is real honesty in their performances, and they handle the shifts in tone and the complexities of the subject matter with great aplomb.

It is always wonderful to find a play that entertains so perfectly while also making you think. Two Strangers and a Clipboard achieves exactly that. A thought-provoking, engaging and thoroughly entertaining fifty-five minutes.