Nick is a poignant piece of theatre and on more than one occasion had me crying uncontrollably. I was that guy loudly blowing his nose in the quiet bits. Wisely, though, the prevailing mood is very light and frequently hilarious. That the tone can flick from one mood to another so quickly and adeptly comes down to the skill of all-in-one performer Renee Lyons. Lyons switches between characters with utmost control and constant clarity about whom she now embodies.
Another wise choice in this production is that no one character dominates, unless maybe our title character does. You see, Lyons spends very little time as Nick himself. We understand his situation by the dialogue addressed to him by a succession of characters, each of whom has their moment in the spotlight. This conceit is the perfect solution to the problem that plagues many one-woman (or one-man) shows: why is this person talking? Monologues don't exist in real life. And one-sided dialogue is tricky. If the actor is playing two characters...why not just have two actors? Nick has no monologues. That really works for me.
At just 50 minutes long, it is remarkable that Nick packs in as much as it does. It tells the story of Nick Chisholm, covering about 15 years of his life. That's efficient story-telling! It focuses on the aftermath of an accident that leaves him paralysed. It's a life-changing event and it affects those around him in different ways. Far from being a sob-story, this piece celebrates strength of character and an enduring will to live, and live life to its fullest. The characters who guide this journey are somewhat stereotypical, but in the way that we recognise them. This supports the underlying message that any one of us could find ourselves in a story like this.
See this play if you need to be reminded how to be compassionate. Or if you just want to see some exceptional theatre.
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