Invisible Me

For Lynn, Alec and Jack, turning sixty feels like a life sentence. With all having lost and none feeling fulfilled, these three people have accepted that their best years are behind them, and have nothing more ahead of them. However, through a series of events and unexpected turns, the trio find that there is still a lot more to life. This is the setup of Bren Goslings play Invisible Me, now playing at the Southwark Playhouse Borough until the second of May.

Directed by Scott Le Crass, Invisible Me is a trio of interlacing monologues and conversations that tell three very different stories, albeit with very common themes. Instead of feeling patchy and jumpy, Le Crass has created a smooth flow in which these stories overlap and contrast to combine them into one overarching piece. This is also helped by talented lighting designer Jodie Underwood who uses spotlights and shades of colour to signify changes in scenes and settings despite no actor ever leaving the stage.

What makes Invisible Me really click with audiences is the performances. The first of these is Lynn, played by Tessa Peake-Jones. Having recently parted ways with her husband and having lost her mum, Lynn is trapped in a dead end job in a home that feels hollow. As Lynn, Peake-Jones is delightful as the mild-mannered Travelodge cleaner. Her performance as a woman discovering a whole new world of interactions while still maintaining the core character makes her an incredibly likeable person, a testament to Peake-Jones' presence.

Alec is a confident, out there, ex-punk who still holds on tight to the past with a 'cool' leather jacket and a knack for picking people up, played by Kevin N Golding. Golding does a great job in portraying the deeply hidden insecurities that Alec holds which creates a fascinating contrast in some scenes. In scenes in which he comically describes his way of flirting and his overall nonchalantness, his quiet drop of how little he sees his kids, as if hoping the audience doesn't catch it, adds a real depth to his portrayal.