IMPOSTORS. To 28 January.

London

IMPOSTORS
by Justin Warner

Union Theatre 204 Union Street SE1 To 28 January 2006
Tue-Sat 7.30pm
Runs 1hr 55min One interval

TICKETS: 020 7261 9876
www.uniontheatre.org
Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 January

Intriguing view of what happens when normality invisibly explodes.
Everyone experiences moments of sudden alienation: a familiar word seems strange, a child cannot believe they belong to their family. The continuity of experience on which identity rests suffers a small disruption. On a larger scale, this is what comes across the Delanceys in Justin Warner’s play, first of 2 US dramas starting the year at Southwark’s enterprising Union Theatre.

It begins with Vincent, one of 2 young adult sons, following a car-crash. Though he never doubts the identity of brother Andrew, he’s convinced parents Frank and Peggy have been replaced by a couple of look-alikes. Why they’re there he’s no idea; nor do they seem a threat. They’re just not his parents.

As time proceeds, Frank has to pretend his son’s doppelganger scenario has validity, making him ‘act’ himself and fake a skill with waffles based on military cookhouse experience, while mother Peggy, imbued with Catholic guilt, sparks up a relationship with a visiting old flame and disappears for a time.

Andrew, who narrates and comments besides playing his part in events, fears driving. Uniquely combined circumstances led him to drive his brother on the day of the crash. His growing sense of strangeness leads to a DNA test as he feels more alienated from previous reality than the family he’s introduced to us. An entire, entirely normal, suburban home has become atomised.

This tiny stage sometimes struggles to accommodate the multiple locations, the V-shaped double-door between living-room and kitchen occasionally seeming like a Black Hole swallowing characters for several seconds as they pass between the rooms. Aoife Smyth’s efficient production still has space for performances to tighten their pacing as the run proceeds.

But Joyce Springer shows Peggy’s concerns digging deeper, through family cohesion to personal valuation, while Thomas Grube convinces as the father whose daily certainties have disappeared, requiring him to enter territory of uncharted emotional sensitivity.

Aidan Synnott’s light manner is aptly evasive while Edd Hunter’s mild-mannered Andrew provides an eternally reasonable tone as he takes us through these mysteries. With decent extra-family support, the Union offers a valuable chance to see an intriguing new drama.

Frank Delancey: Thomas Grube
Andrew Delancey: Edd Hunter
Paul Stanton: Denis Quilligan
Peggy Delancey: Joyce Springer
Vincent Delancey: Aidan Synnott
Dr Saper/Fr Ryan/Intern: Graham Elwell

Director: Aoife Smyth
Lighting: Steve Miller

2006-01-16 16:24:54