'Breathing Holes' by Jonathan Davies
Nottingham New Theatre

Another New Theatre and Nottingham University student play, closing this season at the theatre. There seems to be so many talented writers and directors as well as tech people and actors, and Mr Davies is in that mix.

Over the last couple of years I’ve seen a few productions that Jonathan has been involved in, “Uz & Them”, “Five Kinds Of Silence” and the crazy “Cogito Ergo Bum”. And now comes “Breathing Holes”.

We all daydream, and often as not, sometimes we can't make sense of what we dream. It's often random ideas thrown together, and that is what this play is about.

There are four characters, none of which have names, that doesn't matter and is unimportant because it's what they say, not who says what that is the centre of this piece of theatre. You'll have to excuse me if I'm not making sense here but it's the sharing of the experience that is what is on show here; the randomness of our dreams and thoughts.

It shows four possible daydream situations, at the sink looking out of the window, in bed and on the settee, and then there is a character trapped, metaphorically, in a glass jar. The image of this is particularly interesting. We're not told why, and I think this leaves the audience member to make their own minds up as to why, he is in this jar, but again this could all be metaphorical, but when he breaks free from the jar, this could herald the awakening of the day dream. Who knows, that's my understanding, but we all possibly have a different image and understanding of this.

This is one piece of theatre unlike anything else that I have seen at the NNT, and while the four characters separate monologues may seem unconnected, listen carefully because there is a link between the four, which may only come to mind when you've had time to digest the piece as a whole.

It's very clever writing and will make you think. It's poetic and the poetry of the words and the piece are well matched with the wonderful video images. I know that if I were looking out the window on a rainy day, my mind too would wander.

And it's all about train of thought as well. Isn't it great to just let your mind roam and you soon look back and realise that what you end up musing about may not be anything like your first thoughts, but how did you get from A to B to C without that smooth train of thought?

Well that was what I felt this piece of theatre experience was about, and if it wasn't, then this is either me misconstruing the mind of the writer, or a clever piece of writing which has given every audience member free reign on taking what they see and moulding it into their own little piece of theatre within their minds. I'd like to think it's a bit of both.

The four mind bending actors responsible for bringing the script to life are Rohan Rakhit, Lucy Chandler, Sophie Curtis and Rosiella Sutherland, who also produced this piece.

Written and Directed by Jonathan Davies and, as usual at the NNT, a very talented tech and creative bunch of people.

One of the most interesting original plays this year that credits the audience with the intelligence to interpret the script with their own understanding.

The play is only 40 minutes long followed by a "Q & A" session, which also gives you plenty of time afterwards to discuss it in the public bar.

“Breathing Holes” is at the Nottingham New Theatre until Friday 14 December 2018.