The play opens in the front room of Henry played by Simon Darwen as a hard working traditional young working class man who has allowed his brother Kenneth to stay. Kenneth is a student at Oxford University played by Ben Addis as hedonistic and adventurous. Enter Sandra, played by Lisa Jackson, confident, sexy, audacious and libertarian to her soul. It is instant, self-indulgent, selfish attraction on sight.
The play follows Kenneth and Sandra's relationship in snapshots of pinnacle moments through three distinct periods of their lives, meet their teenage children Rose, played tempestuous and misunderstood by Rosie Wyatt, as the teenage daughter and Jamie played by James Barrett as the taunting, clever younger brother. Experience the dysfunctional effect of Kenneth and Sandra's love on their children as Rosie struggles to reach her dreams and Jamie is driven into compulsive neurosis. This experience is shared through witty and funny dialogue and the play races to its final climax as it explores many of the issues of modern day society and the responsibilities people have towards each other.
Lucy Osborne's simple stage design, three sets of living rooms each reflecting a different era work well in creating the ambience of the periods along with the lighting effects by Hartley T.A. Kemp and the music and sounds by Tom Gibbons.
I enjoyed this play, with its funny, and very human insights into modern family relationships. It was perhaps at times a little too strident in its message speaking directly to the audience instead of sharing insights in to human dilemmas through the actions of the characters- I recognised some of those dilemmas though and this is definitely a play I would recommend going to see.
The play is presented by the touring company Paine's Plough who specialise exclusively in commissioning and producing new plays and helping playwrights develop their craft. Hull Truck theatre have again fulfilled their promise of making new plays and drama accessible to Yorkshire Audiences.
Andrew Sugden
Yorkshire Gig Guide
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