Bluebird @ Zoo

Bluebird is Simon Stephens take on the hoary old device of taxi driver in limbo, suffering for his sins and learning about life by having to listen to the sage advice and wacky life-stories of the strange people who wander the streets at night.

A dreamy after-hours vibe is created via projected blurred visions of busy roads, trailing tail-lights and misty urban landscapes. Our driver, Jimmy is a suitably morose and downbeat, working his way through an unlikely set of street philosophers and colourful passengers as he drives toward his date with destiny - in this case a meeting with his estranged wife of five years. He carries a dark secret deep in his heart. We know this because Jimmy speaks slowly. He reacts to powerful phrases with a Brandoesque sardonic shrug and a terminal complacence.

Each passenger brings their own story to the cab and some of these are nicely written and skilfully acted – the prostitute and the northern bouncer stand out. But these moments are too few. One of the biggest hurdles to the suspension of disbelief is the fact that the cast feel too young to inhabit the histories of such haunted people. Those unsullied student faces don’t seem lived-in enough for the richly textured anguished lives created by the writer.

As the story builds to its melodramatic conclusions the weight of the premise becomes too much for cast and spectator. Poor Jimmy’s wife has to dig into vast reserves of emotional intensity to conjure waves of hysterical tears on hearing her husband’s news which can’t be easy at 3.30 every afternoon. So hats off to her for a sterling if unnerving and snottery performance.

With a bit of judicious editing Bluebird has the makings of an atmospheric and broody play, maybe Radio Four would be interested.