Kat Rose-Martin’s debut full-length stage play shows lots of heart, humour and promise. Following a successful run in West Yorkshire, the Bradford-based play has come to London and for 80 minutes we get to be part of the Pick n Mix world.
Pick n Mix – Photo credit: Carolyn Mendelsohn.We follow the lives of Oliva (Charlotte Ellis), Kim (Natalie Davis) and Aisha (Sonja Wrightson) as they navigate their way through the perilous world of dating, teenage kicks and adult activities. It’s lots of fun and there’s some gorgeous dialogue and each of the characters is deftly drawn and tenderly created. The two male characters Jordan (Morgan Scriven) and Kash (Mustafa Chaudhry) are distinctly different from one another, both searching for love and wanting to do the right thing – but as Jordan flounders to find his way, Kash has an embedded certainty and maturity. It’s a particularly thoughtful portrayal of Jordan, who could be the villain of the piece, but as we’re informed ‘one woman’s trash is another girl’s treasure.’
The cast are all great, and Alex Chisholm’s direction keeps the pace alive and the scenes are short but effective and Madi Omatseone’s set makes inventive use of pallets and crates. There’s not much wasted space or time in this production, like the characters, the play keeps moving with an urgent mix of curiosity, lust, love and confusion.
The scenes where all three storylines play alongside each other work particularly well and there are some great fun sex-ed moments, and a few moments of warmth and tenderness that show that love and friendship are very much at the centre of this play.
Review by Roz Wyllie
Three lasses. One lad. And a bucketload of teen angst.
When Olivia, Kim and Alisha all take a fancy to the same local lad, friendships and families are torn apart.
Lies are told, secrets are spilled and their lives are about to change forever.
A coming-of-age story of sisterhood, Sex Ed and sanitary pads.
Directed by Alex Chisholm
Designed by Madi Omatseone
Lighting Design Tom Blackband
Music and Sound Design Josh Depass
Associate Director Madiha Ansari
Stage Manager Lauren Cross
Produced in association with Leeds Studio
Funded by Bradford Producing Hub
Kat Rose-Martin is a Bradford lass born and bred. She was the first winner of Kay Mellor Fellowship, and has written for stage and TV, including BBC’s Holby City & Sky’s Wolfe. Pick n Mix is her first full length play.
Pick n Mix is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
Photo credit: Carolyn Mendelsohn
Pick n Mix
Leeds Studio
24th Jan 2023 – 4th Feb 2023
Downstairs – Pleasance London
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/