CityLife

The Fading Hum

The Fading Hum

The Fading Hum
24:7 Theatre Festival 2010: New Century House
July 30, 2010

Two estranged brothers, a kooky beekeeper, a farm in transition, an empty beehive and a dead father.

In The Fading Hum, Charlotte Essex takes these seemingly disparate ingredients and weaves them into a more encompassing whole, exploring death, guilt, separation and environmental disaster.

It’s a big ask for a one hour play, particularly for a new writer, yet Essex pulls it off with remarkable success. 

It opens with city boy, Robin (a very likeable Jack Monaghan) returning to the family farm where his older brother Ted (a measured Jay Taylor) still lives.

His visit coincides with the disappearance of Ted’s bees and he’s called the National Beekeepers Society. Both brothers are surprised when the organisation sends out the beautiful, yet mysterious, Melissa to help.

Melissa (convincingly played by Antonia Kinlay) provides an opportunity for the boys to entertain. Over a few bottles of wine, emotions bubble to the surface and secrets are revealed.

It is a polished production. Laura Keefe’s tight direction and Essex’s sparkling dialogue keep the show moving at a good pace. And the young cast carry the weight of the emotions expressed surprisingly well in natural and believable performances. 

The play has already been shortlisted for the Nick Darke Award – a prize to help a young writer finish a piece of writing related to the environment.

It raises some important issues, yet remains entertaining rather than preachy and is never without hope. Showcasing gems like this is what our 24:7 festival is all about and no doubt will provide a springboard to a wider audience soon.