Time and Tide
Sarah Rigby
What a difference a day makes. On Thursday afternoon I was enjoying a stolen day of summer sunshine at the end of Cromer Pier, enjoying a pint of San Miguel in the company of my daughter and her boyfriend. It is a seaside pleasure to which I indulge myself whenever the children or grand children come to stay. However, just 24 hours later and I am dodging heavy rain as I run towards Norwich Theatre's Stage Two for the Norfolk premiere of James McDermott's 'Time and Tide', a play that drops in on four characters in a fictional crumbling caff on the end of Cromer Pier.
After debuting in Relish Theatre's production at London's Park Theatre in 2020, 'Time and Tide' now begins its tour of East Anglia, visiting nine local theatres before returning to Norwich Theatre Stage Two on October 18th for a further eight shows. It is classic McDermott, a piece of theatre that draws heavily from his own time growing up in North Norfolk, as well as time spent working at a café in Holt whilst funding his Master of Arts in scripwriting at Norwich's UEA.
The seaside setting, an imaginary parallel incarnation of the well-loved fishing town and coastal resort of Cromer, centres around the staff of 'May's Caff', which has recently been put up for sale by owner, May (played by Erin Geraghty). Her plan is to move to Suffolk, and set up home with her recently re-connected schoolgirl best friend. May's pier-end team of two – Nemo (Josh Barrow) and Daz (Ishmel Bridgeman), take the news with mixed feelings. Nemo, openly gay, has been encouraged to follow his dream of becoming an actor, and is leaving for London to start drama school. Daz, his best and longest friend from school, missed Nemo's leaving party and is soon to start an electronics course at the local college. Their intensely strong relationship bristles with bromantic undertones, as well as the moody fall-out pre-empting Nemo's imminent departure.
The fourth protagonist in the piece is baker and catering baked goods supplier, Ken (Paul Lavers), whose romantic aspirations for May are matched only by his despair at the continued ascendancy in Cromer of chains such as Costa, Nandos, and Tesco Express. And now, to cap it all, Pret a Manger are interested in buying the caff.
With a simple set (designed by Caitlin Abbott) that recreates the atmosphere and fading glory of May's Caff (as well as her display of theatrical memorabilia), and Rob Ellis' sympathetic direction, McDermott's story of time, change, and frustrated sexual longing is brought to life with a captivating sense of impending life choices about to be made.
Josh Barrow is wonderful as Nemo, his naiivety and frustration at regional isolation tempered by his almost heartbreaking sentimentality to stay. Twice in the script he references a small fish that he spotted in a rockpool – it seemed unsure whether to stay in the pool, or to swim out on the next high tide to open sea.
Ishmel Bridgeman is an exciting presence as Nemo's longest friend, Daz. His ambitions and needs are mostly met within Cromer, the rest can be accessed via a bus trip into Norwich. And yet, even Daz needs to think carefully about what he might be about to lose.
Erin Gerachty brings a wealth of film, television and theatre experience to her performance as May – the power-house and the matriarchal centrepiece of Time and Tide, Despite her mother-hen clucking around Daz and Nemo, her character portrayal hints of a recently re-ignited torch for a childhood friendship, and a secret that runs much deeper than the others might realise.
But, for me, the show is absolutely stolen by the legend that is Paul Lavers, as the desolate, about-to-throw-in-the-towel, Ken. His performance, filled with pathos and warmth in equal measures, is a masterclass in local characterisation. My kids grew up with Lavers' appearances alongside BC the Tiger on Anglia Television's Birthday Club, but he is agonisingly authentic in his portrayal of Ken, with his romantic aspirations on May providing an ever-hopeful antidote to his despondency and dejection at a haemorrhaging customer base. The Norfolk dialect is notoriously difficult to get right, often ending up sounding more West Country than East Coast (even Alan Bates couldn't master it in his role as Ted Burgess in the film version of The Go-Between). Lavers, though, despite having being born in Bristol, absolutely nails it, and squeezes every last ounce from the wonderful lines that McDermott has given him.
Whether you are Norfolk born and bred, from over the border in Suffolk or Essex, or perhaps like me, simply a big fan of James McDermott's work, check your almanacs and pencil Time and Tide into your diary.
And, finally, a message to Paul Lavers. It is my daughter's 30th birthday on October 15th. Could he please arrange for BC to give her a wave? Thank you.
