Operation Greenfield, Soho Theatre, London

Director: Alexander Scott

Reviewer: Jemma Bicknell

The Public Reviews Rating:

Watch out, I’m going to gush quite a lot in this review…

I love you Little Bulb Theatre Company. I am resolved to watch all of your shows until the end of time.

Set in a fictional village in the Midlands, we are privy to four geeky teenage members of a village Christian club as they practice for the most important event of their lives, Stokely’s Annual Talent Competition. Through their band practices, church meetings and general hanging out, all punctuated by the ritual sharing of forest fruit squash, the mundane is transcended in delicate and insightful reflections on faith, friendship and sexual awakening.

Operation Greenfield was captivating from start to finish. Watching it transported me headlong back into my youth; Little Bulb have completely captured the magic of growing up in all of its awkward, hopeful naivety. The production has the same quirky, retro feel as Indie films like Juno and Garden State, neatly enhanced by its live music, which included covers of the likes of Bowie and Sufjan Stevens alongside their own accordion-laden funk and folk creations. It was uncertain which element took centre stage in this production, music or theatre, but both were excellently represented. What was certain though, was the deftness with which the cast and director highlighted the little nuances of human nature.

Each actor brought essential qualities to the company, with each enviously talented not just in acting, but in music, comedy and physical theatre. The whole play was painstakingly rehearsed, with perfectly timed pauses giving way to moments of astute, witty observation. The details were what really made this work a joy, and never were the characters unconvincing as they endeavoured to form identities and shape their understanding of the big bad world. The speed and precision with which they acted out a fast-forward of events, in order to cleverly show us the passing of time, was as impressive as the realisation of four very distinct and hilarious personalities. Little Bulb ‘do’ dark, but not in the typically heavy-handed way you often see in experimental theatre; their interpretation was both subtle and poignant. They meticulously constructed and reassembled their set like an interlocking puzzle; we gasped in amazement as Daniel jumped, and Molly whipped the blanket from underneath his feet in the nick of time.

When Bible stories exploded in the first moments of this show it was easy to think, ‘Uh oh, this will either be Christian-bashing or an attempt at conversion’, but it was neither. It was a beautiful, boisterous reflection of the spirit of an age – the difficult, momentous, and sometimes lovely, teen age.