I had a problem with this play, written by young writer Beth Friend (hear the interview on the site soon). It was not with the acting of Rosie Al-Mulla’s Amy (though she needs to loosen up a little) or the titular River (Chris Craig Harvey, growing into one of the finest character actors in the country). An hour-long duologue about River going into Amy’s basement instead of dying, she a lonely girl, he a man who has overcome drug problem, the characters are just hard to sympathise with; why do I care about a man who rubbishes Kafka, is stubborn on hearing Amy wants to read literature at college and who ends up sobbing to the world which thinks he doesn’t exist?
Beth’s inventive writing shows her talent, though this wasn’t her BIG PLAY; she’s getting there, though. The world premiere occurred in a smaller space, and there seemed to be too much here. I felt like a fly on wall when I wanted to be a fly on River’s shoulder. The fact that Beth wants the dilemma to be thought about is a bold authorial move that some may applaud more than me. It did make me want to watch some River films, as an extended hyperlink, but I was left unsated. Perhaps I was tired, but that’s no excuse. Much promise, my Friend.
