Whether you weren’t invited to your friend’s 8th birthday party, or you’ve been left on delivered for 15 years by someone you thought was your ride-or-die…
We’ve all regrettably had a friendship end.
The Last Great Hunt and Whiskey & Boots, collaborating on their latest project, set out to explore real words that were left unsaid, due to these broken bonds.
A show that is intrinsically tied to the city it is performed in, For The Best immediately roots itself in Melville’s Main Hall.
Hand-painted renditions of the neighbouring libraries, by visual artist Daniel Grant, put the beating heart of the community on full display before the audience has even sat down.
Weaving together stories from audience members who may be sat amongst the crowd, the content begins tonally light. The three performers, sat with scripts on music stands, paint their mental pictures vividly. As if allowing the anonymous members of the public to speak through them.
Underscored beautifully with live music from Luke Dux, the words and score come together to build a bittersweet atmosphere. Eliciting the feeling of a summer holiday friendship that was short-lived, but all the more meaningful because of it.
As the artists descend deeper into the show, the topics follow suit. One minute you’re laughing along, the next you’re reminded how precious your time is. These plots can be chilling reminders of the fleeting feeling, emphasised by the harsher, more electric music.
Throughout the show, synchronised dialogue is utilised to great effect. Performers will recite some extracts together, before diverging on wildly different tangents. This put great emphasis on the changing priorities and conflicting perspectives between people in the midst of a friendship breakup.
The show culminates in a wonderfully facetious way, reminding us all that even if we can’t control the cards we were dealt, we can take them on the chin and decide that in the end, everything will be ok.
You may find yourself leaving in tears one way or another, but For The Best is an intimate, unique piece of theatre, with an ever-green concept. Audiences can expect to leave feeling grateful for the connections they have kept a close part of their lives.
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