BEDTIME STORIES. To 12 July.

Scarborough

BEDTIME STORIES
by Lesley Bruce

Stephen Joseph Theatre in rep to 12 July 2003
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 2.30pm
Audio-described 9 July, 12 July 2.30pm
BSL Signed 4 July
After-show Follow-up 24 June
Runs 2hr One interval

TICKETS: 01723 370541
Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 June

Interesting concept and form but in need of further development and more definition in production.Yorkshire's hosting two simultaneous productions with this title - but Lesley Bruce's play is far from the Bedtime Stories York's Theatre Royal offers young audiences in early July

Though youth and its slow vanishing, which seems to rush upon 33-year old Joni, is part of her story. Returning home, Joni finds her flat messed-up, plus a strange man in an equally strange bed. He's been turfed-out by his high-power girlfriend and lost his job; the bed's a four-poster, its grandeur sawn-off to gain access to her little home.

Joni's repulsion cross-fades into realising she was conceived on this bed in a French chateau on the day astronauts first downloaded onto the moon. Now it's an heirloom from her recently-deceased mother. Graham wants a place to stay, but faces a bigger role as Joni desires a child before her bio-clock ticks up to midnight.

The material just about lasts the length of the act. A brief intrusion from a neighbour has little purpose or reality - though it establishes the pattern for act two, which whisks us back to that moon-landing day. This time it's Joni's mum who's gatecrashed a friend's empty flat, surprising Robin, a woodcarver who owns a chateau - the four-poster grows into the plot. But Joni's history undergoes revision.

It's bad luck (or miscalculated borrowing) that the impact of the lunar landings on romantic moon-moods had already been bagged by Stoppard's about-to-be-revived Jumpers. Happier is a telling period detail about the sixties' rediscovery of Victoriana.

Pascal Langdale gives Robin a reality lacking in Will Barton's caricature Philip (his Graham's more believable). Sarah Moyle doesn't distinguish enough vocally between mother and daughter; nor is there much contrast between late 60s and early 21st century woman.

Laurie Sansom's production undervalues the realistic level. Comic dialogue between Joni and Graham lacks reaction time. And however disordered Joni's life and mind, surely she'd pick up something from the mess Graham's created in her home.

Act two has a talent-combat between suave Robin and nerdish Philip which abandons realism with an imported mirrorball and dance-music. It's strained comedy. For overall, Bruce's play is strongest when at its saddest.

Graham/Philip: Will Baron
Drew/Robin: Pascal Langdale
Joni/Fran: Sarah Moyle

Director: Laurie Sansom
Designer: Pip Leckenby
Lighting: Jo Dawson
Composer: Adam Cork

2003-06-16 00:37:30