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A year to remember 366 Days of Kindness Birmingham Rep Door **** IN August 2011, Bernadette Russell
witnessed the broiling anger of England erupt in front of her eyes in
the London borough of Deptford, where she lived. This was, of course,
the London Riots. Clearly, these chilling and audacious events
still have an effect on us as a society today and at Birmingham Rep’s
Door, Russell gave us her response in a bold and truthful way. Bringing raw scenes back to our memories, Russell
demonstrated how she bit back by deciding that she had to perform an act
of kindness to a stranger every single day for a year (366 days to make
sure a leap year was included) and ultimately find the answer the
question ‘Can kindness change the world?’ With the help of Gareth Brierley, a charismatic
and charming performer, Russell took us through her autobiographical
journey of performing the task of saving the world with kindness. This inspiring little story had a wonderful
attraction, breaking down the illusion that only certain people possess
the skills to do good deeds. With heartfelt explanations, it was hard
not to be inspired by Russell’s decision, after she explained to us that
being kind was not always her forte. Directed by Tessa Walker, there was a great
personal connection between audience and performers. The elements of
incorporating her discoveries through daily acts of kindness were
delightfully covered with recordings of those who inspired her most. These responses from real people during her
project were constantly played throughout. A vicar and a charity shop
worker were particular favourites of the audience. Russell showed us
that being kind was not a rule purely for her to follow alone, but an
invite to the whole world, so that they may join in to conquer sorrow
and change it for the better. The intimate and cosy studio space of The Door
only enhanced the beauty of the subject all the more. Russell told her
story as though she already knew everyone by name, becoming personal
friends by the end. Her 366 days of Kindness is so much more than a
theatrical production. It is a cry asking us all to stop being scared of
extraneous factors, particularly other people, government and plain
simple human nature. Russell wants us to learn from others, just as she
did, in the hope that we can overcome corruption and perform the small
task of being kind to our fellow human. Elizabeth Halpin
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