★★★☆☆

Run-time: 1 hr

The lodger is a meditative musical rumination on the theme of home. The Lodger (Dora Colquhoun) guides the audience through various characters that represent home to her; a northern Sunday school teacher, a posh lonely landlord, a bright-eyed wannabe Butlins Red Coat and a sylvan deer.

Songs weave the scenes together, pianist George Jenkins duetting playfully with the Lodger. The music is a definite strength of the piece, with songs carrying the Lodger through the emotional aspects of the characters. Some character moments lacked engaging conversation and felt in need of dramatic tension. Two of the characters were older women and whilst their differences were clear, their lower energies slowed the piece down.

The set is a simple collection of homely furniture covered by dust sheets as the audience enter including a chair, an easel and a screen. The lighting creates a clear language of nature versus the interior homely scenes. Sickly pinks colour the landlord’s scenes contrasting with the bright lights of the aspiring red coat and lastly with green washing over the stage during the more abstract moments with the deer character (Lighting by Phil Saunders).

The show advertises as having ‘integrated audio description’, as the pianist occasionally describes the actions of the Lodger, however there are major pieces of movement and visual elements that are not described throughout the play and to say it is fully audio described would not be accurate.

Written by Dora Colquhon, the piece invites the audience to ‘hold the performer’s stones’ as she inspects the themes of home and belonging. There is humour and jokes, with some well executed audience interaction. The piece is sentimental, reflective and charming. Pondering on generational trauma passed down “whose hands are these?” and later dressed as a pigeon attempting to entertain a Butlin's crowd. Directed by Eli Randle and Izzie Major, 'The Lodger' is a bold curiosity with plenty for the audience to chew on. Towards the end of the piece, songs come one after another with room for more clarity in their purpose. Colquhon holds attention whilst maintaining a calm intense connection the audience with some beautiful music and thought-provoking characters.