Albatross

Martha Loader has written a thoughtful and layered piece that muses across multiple topics and dynamic characters. Everything from the expectations of motherhood and careers, to finding love at a later age, to environmentalism within the tourism industry and the larger international implications of climate change. The script is rich with questions and does not pretend to offer easy answers. Loader has clearly done her research, and this comes across in some ingenious ways in how characters are drawn and interact with one another. There is a confident hand at work here.

Albatross was directed by Patrick Morris, who also plays Martin. I do always slightly worry when someone takes on both acting and directing roles. It is harder to be objective when so immersed within the world, ironically similar to Alice and her journey within the story. The moments between Alice and Eve alone are the strongest, and they hint at the more focused play that might have emerged with a separate director. However, the direction lags and slows. While there are eclectic moments such as Alice explaining the ice shelf with a tub of ice cream, this is an 80 minute piece and the pacing drags considerably. This does not showcase Morris's acting ability fully either. He gives a rounded performance as the watery, people pleasing Martin who believes that fossils have healing energy. Some important points regarding his character's journey are missed. A major one being the connection (and supposedly obsession) between Alice and Martin. This is a significant moment for both characters and it arrives feeling deflated due to the staging choices rather than the writing.