The play opens in a scene of attempted seduction by fellow executive Michael portrayed lecherously playful by George Costigan and creates immediate conflict both internally and externally for Kitty, played valiant and pressurised by Kaye Wragg, and sets a story question and a promise of resolution to the audience. Can our heroine find satisfaction and contentment in her life and be happy now?
This encounter preys upon Kitty's mind as she struggles to balance personal freedom with family life, fidelity and a demanding job.
The rest of the play mounts pressure after pressure on to Kitty, her husband Johnny, played by Jonathan Wrather with blind self centredness, puts the school curriculum and misplaced apostrophes before his wife, her children unseen, but heard in the background act brat like, her mother played by George Costigan who takes a double part, acts like a small child exaggerating, needful, selfish whilst her estranged father is seriously ill, her job has become seemingly overwhelming and her friends relationships are in trouble placing all kinds of stresses on her own marriage, all culminating in a crisis and moment of truth.
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| Kaye Wragg and George Costigan Picture by Louise Buckby | . |
The actions largely take place in various rooms and the simple stage setting including jagged splintered perimeter, by Kirk production and Harrogate Theatre Scenic Services along with the lighting by Jason Taylor make great use of the Hull Truck's small stage complementing and adding a visual metaphor to the cast's acting. Much of the drama is told through witty dialogue and the players relaxed subtle ordinary body language successfully conveys their relationships with each other giving a feeling you have dropped in on real people.
There are various sub plots that thread around the main theme and further complicate Kitty's life. Carl, Kitty's gay friend played sensitively by Christopher Colquhoun, has relationship problems with his boyfriend. The main sub plot is the marriage difficulties between Miles played with swaggering sarcasm by James Holmes the alcoholic verbally cruel husband of Bea played by Rina Mahoney as the downtrodden invisible desperate wife. These subplots have their own climax's that ask the question Happy Now? as well as contributing to Kitty's own dilemma.
Their are some delightful moments in the play where the audience gasp, ripple with laughter or grunt in approving recognition. Perhaps the most audible was when the audience recognised a man was playing the part of June, Kitty's mother, this is the first time in the UK that this part has been played by a male actor as intended by the writer.
The play builds to a climax in a delightful build up of sexual tension and temptation, a frustrated fight scene between Kitty and Michael nicely choreographed by Terry King, force Kitty to make her choice.
This play tackles the familiar middle-class woman's struggle of family versus professional life seen in numerous television sitcoms. Some will recognise, cringe and laugh at the hurting dilemma of its hassled, harassed heroine. Happy Now? asks just that about contemporary middle-class life and how to endure it.
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| Kaye Wragg and Jonathan Wrather Picture by Richard Hubert Smith. |
The play builds to a climax in a delightful build up of sexual tension and temptation, a frustrated fight scene between Kitty and Michael nicely choreographed by Terry King, force Kitty to make her choice.
This play tackles the familiar middle-class woman's struggle of family versus professional life seen in numerous television sitcoms. Some will recognise, cringe and laugh at the hurting dilemma of its hassled, harassed heroine. Happy Now? asks just that about contemporary middle-class life and how to endure it.
It is a thoughtful funny play but for me I could not completely empathise with the plays characters, and I was unsure whether the plays story question had been answered as promised in the opening scene. By the plays end was there change in the Heroine Kitty's life or an increased awareness in my own? I am not sure but the play continues to make me ponder.
This is a good play and definitely worth seeing, again the Hull Truck Theatre succeeds in its mission of bringing ground breaking drama by today's leading playwriting talents to Yorkshire audiences.
Andrew Sugden
YGG
'Happy Now?' is at The Hull Truck Theatre- 3rd to 26th February
To book tickets, call the box office on 01482 323638 or visit
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