Rob Munday
Set in the world of stand-up comedy, William Stefan Smith’s Two Single Beds begins like it is a film about the palpable chemistry between its two main characters. However, as the 16-minute short progresses, it evolves into a touching tale of loneliness and vulnerability, beautifully brought to life by the impressive performances of its two lead actors.
Written by one of those actors, the ever-impressive Daniel Kaluuya, Two Single Beds instantly immerses us in the world of its central characters as we join them on stage for a gig a long way from home. Both Londoners, the pair are having differing experiences with this Northern crowd: as Jay (Kaluuya) aims to “give them what they want”, while June (Seraphina Beh) doesn’t want to “change herself” for her audience.
Daniel Kaluuya stars as Jay, as comedian working the stand-up circuit.
After missing the last train home, the pair are forced to share a hotel room for the night. As drinks flow and conversation shifts from comedy routines to discussions of “feeling wanted,” the tension between them intensifies, until it reaches a point where something has to change. With the chemistry between the pair magnetic during the night, the morning brings a much colder reality. It also delivers the film most tender moment, as the realisation both Jay and June are longing for something deeper than a night of hotel sex can offer.
Credit for the complex, nuanced script of Two Single Beds rightfully goes to Kaluuya. However, the writer/actor is keen to emphasis the crucial role of the entire creative team in the film’s development. In an interview with Nicole Davis for Film 4, he stresses that writing a short film is “a difficult art form” deserving the “same amount of headspace” as any other project – a sentiment we wholeheartedly agree with.
While recognising the impressive script of Two Single Beds is fitting, those familiar with filmmaking know that a successful film requires much more. With that in mind, we must also acknowledge the work of Smith and his cast in bringing the film to life. Enhancing the short’s authentic feel, Smith’s direction is consistently unobtrusive, giving the impression that we are being offered an unfiltered glimpse into the characters’ lives and witnessing events unfold naturally.
The uncomfortable morning after the night before for Jay & June.
With the director describing his two leads as “like islands” who are “both struggling with different things”, he states (again in an interview with Nicole Davis for Film 4) that his role was to simply capture “the moment when it erupts”. While there is an eruption of sorts in the bedroom (and the bathroom!), it’s in the quiet moments where Kaluuya and Beh do their finest work on screen. The chemistry and banter between them is vital in buying into their characters, but its the more awkward moments, the day after, that hold the most weight. From the gentle stroke of a shoulder to the look on June’s face when Jay tentatively takes her hand, it’s these moments that hint at something deeper than a fleeting connection.
We’ll never know if anymore comes from this connection, but like a lot of good shorts Two Single Beds is effective in how it leaves you thinking about its characters long after the film has finished. Since directing this short, Smith has gone on to direct a number of high profile tv shows, including Avenue 5, Top Boy and The Vince Staples Show. For Kaluuya, this is the latest in a series of short films he’s starred in (including previous S/W picks Jonah and Robot & Scarecrow), with the actor admitting he’s drawn to the format because of the “level of freedom” it can provide – another sentiment we wholeheartedly agree with.