The Narcissist

The Narcissist, a play written by Tweed Theatre’s own Lori Stewart, takes place on the Coast itself, and shines a light on the harsh realities of being in a relationship with a narcissist, as the main character Georgina falls in love with coffee shop owner Adam.

When the play starts, the audience is introduced to the Narrator, who gives a brief description of what a narcissist is, before swiftly disappearing into the shadows. The curtains open and instantly take you to Georgina’s yoga studio, which is right next door to where charming Adam has just opened his coffee shop. Sparks fly between the two and the audience is treated to a cute blossoming romance…or so they thought.

Despite such uncomfortable undertones from watching the actions of a narcissist (very well portrayed by Dan Benmayor), the overall split setup of the show was quite colourful and vibrant, a brilliant contrast to the darker theme. The set was simple, yet very nicely put together, utilising the whole stage to make two very different locations, Georgina’s yoga studio and Adam’s coffee shop. With a few tables, a few yoga mats, and some props, coupled with the backdrop of the two locations, it set the atmosphere very well.

The characters were all so enjoyable to watch, each actor beautifully portraying their characters. From Georgina’s confidence (that slowly dwindles), to Jilly’s (Sue-Ellen McCubben) excitable and relationship-obsessed attitude, to Maddie’s (Lori Stewart) blunt honesty and Roma’s (Coral Kelly) sweetness, it was just wonderful to watch and enjoy the characters. Moreover, Dan Benmayor did a fantastic job acting the part of a narcissist, so good, in fact, that it was quite unsettling! While the chemistry between the characters of Georgina and Adam felt, at times, a little forced and unnatural at the start, by the second act, the actors had found their groove.

Direction by Leonie Richards was extremely well done. The rhythm flowed perfectly, every single joke was a hit, especially the ones that came from Jilly! The split-staging of the show was a brilliant use of space and was visually very appealing. Furthermore, the balance of the unsettling feeling with jokes was an intelligent decision, by both the writer and the director, adding to that sense of foreboding that not everything is what it seems, but also portrays the comfortability of close friends.

Lighting design and operation by Jasper Lee and sound operation by Scott Barlow were incredibly smooth. Unfortunately, the same wasn’t entirely true for the backdrop projections, with the projections appearing to shut off mid-show, and there was an awkward scramble to get it up again while the actors stood in the blackout. Overall, the projections were well done, but that part did take away from the feeling of being wrapped up in their world.

Music by Doug Williams was also very nicely done, keeping the audience engaged during the blackouts (as there were many) with an uplifting tune until the lights came back on.

The costumes were just brilliant, so vibrant and very indicative of the lifestyle of the characters. With Adam always being in the coffee shop, he mostly wore dark clothes and an apron, which is reminiscent of many coffee shop workers. As for Georgina, Jilly and Maddie, the tight activewear and flowy over-shirts represented their passion for yoga and their tight-knit relationships.

This show was filled with numerous twists and turns, and is definitely not something you’ll want to miss. But be forewarned; you may see traits of someone you know portrayed in this very show.

Review by Marina Cerra