On the4th and 5th March 2025 I performed The Benefit at the Alma Tavern
Theatre in Clifton, Bristol. I was
pleased I accomplished this, not least by delivering a script without fluffing
anything for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The question is did my audiences get their money’s worth? I sincerely hope so. Was the whole story of my overcoat meaningful
in a way that individual extracts at various scratch nights and fundraisers
seemed to be? Feedback from the Bristol
Old Vic Artists’ Forum Scratch Night last July was encouraging, eg:-
A
brilliantly written one person play exploring people and place, spun together
by the journey of a coat. The characterisations of Michael and the young woman
are important to punctuate the narrative so more of that! Loved the rhythm of
the writing, brilliantly performed. I want to see it in production.
The
journey of a coat, from place to place, owner to owner and the encounters. I loved Jo’s descriptions, past & present
details. Hooked all the way. The
romantic in me wants Micheal and the young girl to meet again….and the coat stays
with him… Loved it.
Then
feedback from the Alma Theatre performance of The Benefit
I enjoyed a
captivating evening watching the solo show of The Benefit. The star of
the play is a bespoke black overcoat and the content is the various situations
and personas that inhabit said coat. The stories are expertly written and
told by Jo Cross, occasionally accompanied by a violin. I was transported to
different places, times and situations and the play will stay with me for a
long time.
And this comment mattered:-
The audience were really captivated. The writing was so well crafted as
was Jo’s performance. Well done and thank you.
Thank heavens the audience were captivated (considering they paid £12 a
ticket and the Alma Theatre was a quite
cramped, stuffy venue! Thankfully they
have recently installed air conditioning).
It was great working with Anneka Sutcliffe, the violinist who accompanied me. My inexperience in identifying the right music showed, but Anneka’s choice of work by Kreisler and Ravel did the trick as did her improvisations around tense passages in the text. The value of Anneka’s presence was invaluable; I didn’t feel alone and she was a very calming influence in the run up to each performance. Also I was so grateful for the kindness of the Alma Tavern Theatre staff: Oli the artistic director and Calin who stepped in lighting the show.
What next
for The Benefit? Two possibilities present
themselves:-
I could research
and tap into non-European traditions in tailoring and garment construction,
drawing on the origin of sartoriality and how it plays out physically and emotionally
in other cultures.
Develop the stories
of the two poets: Marlon the wartime flaneuse following in the footsteps of
Baudelaire in her exquisitely tailored suit,
channelling the movie star, Marlene Dietrich. Then
there’s Marlene, the 1980’s poet up for
poetry slams in her second-hand tonic suit.
