EMPTY VANITY Bakehouse Theatre Until 04 Mar 2017 Review by Tony Busch This is an interesting collection of scenes by writer/director James Watson, rather like a collection of short stories on various aspects of the human condition. As is the case with all collections, some work better than others, sometimes because of the construction, sometimes perhaps because of the direction. But Watson writes with an authentic ear for dialogue and a real understanding of the silences that punctuate human conversation and there is a great deal of truth contained within, sometimes in few words. It is as a director that he has more to learn, often failing to achieve the level of truth contained in the script. It’s no easy task to portray different characters within one production, particularly when there is scant time for development. However, changing a costume or props is not changing character and perhaps Watson needed to be tougher on his cast in order to achieve distinct separations of personalities. That said, there is some good work in all of the eight scenes – though some of the cast need to be aware that, even in the intimate setting of the Bakehouse, more projection is needed. It is exciting to see new talents cutting their teeth and this one deserves its audience. Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)