Review: The Long Now

Hey readers!

It's time for my review of The Long Now. 

"Tudor is the finest clockmaker of all time. She knows her cogs from her clogs but will she be able to finish fixing her town's ancient clock before time runs out? She is distracted by the beast that twists her dreams into nightmares and the wonder of the outside world. In search for the right tools in her trusty pile of things, will she finally finish the job she started...or will she just have another cup of tea?"

The Long Now is a mystical fairy-tale, taking place in a magical kingdom like no other. The story is inspired by the work of the Long Now Foundation, who are a non-profit organisation that seek to promote a long-term cultural institution. Instead of today's 'faster and cheaper' mentality, they seek to encourage a 'slower and better' way of thinking. The play builds off of this concept, and focuses on the importance of long-term planning. It seeks to explore why this is so essential for our survival, and how this can help us to escape from future turmoil. Whilst this is an important message, I do think that the overarching themes could have been slightly more explicit. The meaning of the play was occasionally unclear, and it was at times difficult to tell which parts were metaphorical. As a consequence of this, more transparency in relation to the subject matter may have helped at certain points. Having said that, the story is still very entertaining, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the character of Tudor; an intriguing protagonist with a fascinating backstory.

The show is primarily a monologue, with Isobel Warner in the leading role of Tudor. Warner is clearly very talented, and absolutely excels in this role. She has an infectious energy, and is able to maintain this from beginning to end. This is all the more impressive when one considers that Warner is onstage for the entirety of the play; a stunning feat that requires immense levels of vibrancy. She also had great comedic timing, and had us viewers laughing in stitches. She quite clearly had the audience in the palm of her hand, which speaks volume to her talent and charisma. Beyond that, Warner did well to balance out the comedy with accomplished dramatic skills too, demonstrating her versatility as an actress. For the penultimate scene of the play, Warner is joined by fellow actor Leo Flanagan in the role of Harry. He too is excellent, and really made the most out of his limited stage-time. It is notable that Flanagan also wrote and directed the piece, showing that he is talented in many different areas. 

Now for my final verdict on The Long Now. I give The Long Now...

The acting featured in The Long Now is well and truly faultless. Isobel Warner is a true star, and I am sure that she has a bright future ahead of her. Leo Flanagan too is very talented, and I look forward to his future work.

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer