In another life, will we always choose to do things differently? Or can we reflect on our lives and realise that our setbacks and struggles serve to teach us important lessons about life and ourselves?
‘Something In The Air’ is Welsh playwright Peter Gill’s latest theatrical endeavours, the newest instalment of a career that spans an impressive sixty years and includes acting, directing, and writing, among many other feats. It is a story of long-lost and rekindled love talked about in such a way that can only come with great wisdom and a profound appreciation for everything that makes up the human experience.
Colin and Alex sit beside one another in their care home in their twilight years, as their children periodically visit to continually carry out the routine end-of-life paperwork. But the gentlemen’s minds’ continue to drift elsewhere, transporting the audience to the scenes of their tried and true love of so many years ago. As will have inevitably been said before, a reflection of life from the perspective of two elderly queer individuals is infrequently found in mainstream theatrical spaces and is an absolute dream to see done so beautifully.
Ian Gelder and Christopher Godwin are masterminds of their craft. Each with extensively impressive acting credits, they seem truly in their element in ‘Something In The Air‘ — making multi-page monologues feel like the sentimental ramblings of an old friend telling a story that you had never quite forgotten. Together, they are endearing yet heart-shattering, both breaking your heart and simultaneously putting it back together, tied with a silver string.
Minimal staging is all this show needs to articulate its simple story. The two men sat in their identical recliners, and the recreations of the bedrooms of their young adult life to stage left and stage right, their desks and side tables telling a myriad of stories all worthy of sharing but neatly tidied away to allow love and loss to take centre stage.
The Jermyn Street Theatre is a beautifully intimate space that takes immense pride in each member of its staff, which all take every step to ensure a wholly immersive experience of its productions.
‘Something In The Air‘ is a charming and painstakingly told story of enduring love throughout life — we are the sum of our experiences, and our life stories are an amalgamation of those we’ve loved and lost, and every lesson we have chosen or been forced to endure. It is an unmissable journey into the charming lives of two men grateful for every moment.
Tegan Finch
Tegan Finch is postgraduate student at King’s College London, currently studying for a Master’s degree in National Security. With a love of theatre stemming from a school trip to Sleeping Beauty when she was only four, the abrupt interval came caused her to burst into tears, fearing that the show was already over! With the move to London for university being a perfect fit, she has been chasing musicals ever since.
