DREAMS OF VIOLENCE touring till 7 November

DREAMS OF VIOLENCE: Stella Feehily.
Out of Joint at Birmingham Rep, The Door.
Touring till 7 November, Door till 31 October.
Runs: 1h 30m, no interval.
Review: Rod Dungate, Door, 29 October.

An enjoyable surprise.
Somehow this wasn’t at all what I expected - so that’s no bad thing is it?

Feehily’s play is a quirky comedy about something that should be a tragedy; a woman is beset by selfish people, all of whom want a bit of her, and from whom she escapes by doing good in a long series of political causes. In the section of her life we see, she’s campaigning for a living wage for cleaners. In the meantime, her druggy son threatens her life, her ex-pop star mother drinks her out of house and home, her elderly father is pissing in the corner of his nursing home room, and her (ex) husband shags her and a landscape gardener.

The play takes a bit long to get going (not the actors’ fault) but once on the move the pace creates tension and the punchy dialogue holds our attention.

Performances are strong. Catherine Russell creates a likeable Hildy, a woman sucked dry by those around her but who holds on to the hope of a better world . . . holds on almost to grim death. Thusitha Jayasundeera and Mossie Smith create a vigorous pair of City cleaners and Paula Wilcox is splendid as the alcoholic mother Shirley - as moving as she is funny.

Max Stafford-Clark injects a sense of chaotic vigour, though sometimes it’s a little too relentless, but also has an eye for truth within this unpredictable world. The ending is a surprise, edgy and extremely well handled by all.

Jame: Jame Baughan.
Ben: Nigel Cooke.
Simon / Carl: Giles Cooper.
Bea / Honey: Thusitha Jayasundera.
Jack: Ciaran McIntyre.
Hildy: Catherine Russell.
Annie: Mossie Smith.
Shirley: Paula Wilcox.

Director: Max Stafford-Clark.
Designer: Lucy Osborne.
Lighting Desginer: Paul Cahrier.
Musical Director: Julian Littman.
Associate Director and Choreographer: Jessica Swale.

2009-10-30 09:47:14