Tim Bray FOIBLES Written and presented by Tim Bray Directed by Amanda Rees Herald Theatre till 11 September. Somehow Tim Bray has got the idea that we inner-city dwellers live in a shallow and plastic world. Surprised? By 'we' I don't mean you and I of course. You and I live meaningful lives full of promise fulfilled and rich with humanity. No, the 'we' here are the urban wannabes, with or without the full complement of skills or opportunity to be what they wannabe. And even when his varied characters become what they presumably wannabe they aren't happy, in some cases they're pathetically unhappy. They preach the simplistic gospel of culinary sophistication at a well-known kitchenware emporium. Or they welcome celebrity photoshoot writers into their styley homes. They come home to their made-over-for-tv homes appalled by the transformation. They yearn to be popular, fulfilled, and none of them make it in the time available. They just want their lives to be sophisticated. And nice. And confident. And successful. And they aren't. The best comedy comes from the counterpoints of opposites, in this case it's striving for things that are unobtainable. Aims and reality are not in sync. Bray milks this comic base for all it's worth. Many of his characters are whimsical underdogs, wannabes. He introduces us to the way they want us to perceive them, then pares back the facades to show the sometimes poignant reality underneath. The opening night audience was clearly well stocked with family and friends, yet the recurring laughter was genuine and unforced, always a good sign. This is a light, entertaining and sometimes cheerfully faggy evening, somewhat short at about 70 minutes, with a wistful yearning thread running through the collage of characters and situations. Bar nicely captures the restless inner-city ethos of always wanting a little more, or better, or... something intangible. Jay Bennie - 1st September 2004