8th February

“The Covid-19 Variations” (a cute piece of word-play) bills itself as a ‘piano drama’ and sees a pianist playing, you guessed it, 19 short pieces charting one man’s experience of the illness that has defined our last few years, set to a series of images and videos featuring celebrity lookalikes hamming it up.

“Do you think this is a thing? I think this is a thing. I think this could be a thing,” called out composer Richard Thomas near the beginning of the post-show discussion. It’s hard to disagree that ‘piano dramas’ could be a thing. If it’s a thing to everyone’s taste – and whether theatres are the right venue for it – is more the question.

The Rep is in the midst of marking 50 years in its current location, and this season is full of exciting offerings from the city’s only ‘producing theatre’. The Covid-19 Variations may seem an international affair, much like its pandemic namesake, but both Thomas and pianist Philip Edward Fisher are Birmingham-born and director Sean Foley is Artistic Director of The Rep. How lovely it was to be back in a theatre, in an audience of Brummies chuckling along to some fellow Brummies on stage.

A lot of the chuckles came from seeing celebrities we know in various states of undress or distress making fools of themselves. Relatable content, really, when one thinks back to lockdown living. And the doppelgängers are really good, so much so, in the Q&A, an audience member asked how BAFTA-winning artist Alison Jackson earned permission from her stars to show them at their damndest points.

Including still-life imagery which evoked memories of the first lockdown was an inspired choice by Foley. More could be made of that. Continuing to present the show in its current format (a 23 minute performance followed by an approximately 45 minute Q&A) may have greater longevity if the show’s content engages with how Covid-19 is re-conceived as time passes. The rest of the show could remain the same with an opportunity for freshness, in the “A.C. After Covid” piece; a USP which also shines a light on changing public health, social and political messaging. 

As a stage show there were moments that fell short, and a Q&A almost double the length of the show itself saw quite a few audience members exiting before the end. Fisher, an incredibly accomplished pianist, was the standout during this section. Relaxed, charming and succinct in his answers, he spoke of how he has his own monitor on the piano, and how the performance is a “collaboration” between him and the film: “I don’t feel like I’m alone on stage, I feel like I’m playing chamber music.”

But there’s tremendous potential here. The collaborators involved have star power and wit, the central conceit is clever – it feels like we’re always going to be talking about Covid so why not have some fun with it? But ultimately a short film or a video installation seem more appropriate mediums to do this work.

★★★☆☆ Will Amott 9th February