Review - Public Conveniences by Tippy Tappy Productions
Tippy Tappy Productions are a recently launched pop-up theatre company formed with the aim of providing free not-for-profit theatre around Lincolnshire.
Their most recent multi-award winning play Public Conveniences, written by Isabel Forrester and Amanda Eastwood and directed by Isabel Forrester, is a remarkable piece of original theatre that balances humour, heart, and important social history with impressive skill.
The play follows a gay man who died and now exists as a ghost in the modern world. As he watches the public conveniences, the audience is taken on a journey through prejudice, remembrance, acceptance, and peace. Despite dealing with serious themes, Public Conveniences is laugh-out-loud funny throughout. The script is sharp, witty, and refreshingly original, demonstrating why it earned a nomination for Best Original Script. The humour never undermines the emotional weight of the story; instead, it makes the poignant moments land even harder.
The performances were excellent across the board. Tristan Forrester delivered a hilarious performance as an estate agent selling the former public toilets, bringing energy and comic timing to every scene. Jon Cooke was outstanding, particularly during a passionate and deeply authentic monologue that captured the pain and humanity at the centre of the story. His performance was rightly recognised with an Adjudicator's Choice Award and a nomination for Best Male Actor at the Boston Playgoers One Act Festival.
The production's quality was reflected in its impressive list of nominations at the Boston Playgoers One Act Festival, including Best Supporting Female for Cheryl Vallely, Best Supporting Male for Mark Emmerson, Best Set, Best Tech, Best Original Script, Best Overall Production, and Best Director Isabel Forrester. Amanda Eastwood also achieved success away from the stage by winning Best Cold Read at the festival awards. The play additionally won the Audience Choice Award for the Friday evening performance, a testament to how strongly the production connected with audiences.
Public Conveniences is an ambitious, funny, moving, and thought-provoking piece of theatre that demonstrates the creativity and talent within the company. It’s easy to see why the play received such acclaim at the Boston Playgoers One Act Festival. If this production is any indication of what lies ahead, Tippy Tappy Productions is a company well worth following. Visit their Facebook page to keep up with future productions; you won't want to miss what they do next.