"A man and a woman are
waiting for their daughter to come home. She's been missing for
seven years and they've just had a phone call from her. But the
woman who turns up instead seems to know an awful lot about the
family, and soon surfaces are stripped away to reveal inner
darknesses.
I could say that this
intense, 90-minute psychological thriller has a lot of Pinter about
it, which it has. Or I could say that An Inspector Calls is never
very far away, which it isn't. Or that there are loud echoes of
David Mamet, particularly Oleanna, which there are.
Instead I shall say that
Joanna Murray-Smith transforms all those influences into something
that is wholly her own, thanks to her powerful control of language
and superb skills of construction. Her play grips from start to
finish and, if the ultimate betrayal is obvious from the start, that
in no way lessens the ever-growing tension.
It is in fact an Australian
play but it transfers seamlessly to England in Michael Cabot's
superbly paced production. He has also designed the set, which
balances the stark and the comfortable in a way that perfectly
reflects the play's theme.
The acting is exemplary.
Jonathan Coote as the husband is all rigidity and control, full of
aggressive reasonableness. Pauline Whitaker as the wife seems
composed of fluttery brittleness which gives way at the end when she
explodes with lost emotions. Catherine Harvey alternates between
sweetness and belligerence as Kate, the intruder, plays her verbal
power games. All three handle the dialogue's complex rhythms with
consummate skill.
London Classic Theatre have
a knack of finding modest, little-known plays that pack more
emotions than many established classics. They've done it again here
- more Joanna Murray-Smith as soon as possible please."
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BRENDAN
McCUSKER - SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO |
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"Currently on a 37-date
premiere tour of the UK and Ireland, this is a powerful new play
written by Joanna Murray-Smith, one of Australia's foremost
playwrights, and produced by London Classic Theatre.
Set in a middle class
English living room, a husband and wife await the promised return of
their daughter, who mysteriously left home aged 16, seven years
previously.
Playing the married couple,
and on stage for the entire duration, Jonathan Coote and Pauline
Whitaker are utterly mesmeric. The script is deliciously ambiguous
with unfinished sentences, and emotions are sometimes raw with loss,
longing, and anger.
When their visitor -
surprisingly, not their expected daughter - arrives at nightfall,
family love, loyalty, and secrets are painfully exposed and
dissected.
At over 90 minutes with no
break, this play demands a lot from its actors and its audience. But
isn't good theatre such a vibrant, intelligent alternative to the
dreary dross of Saturday night television."
