NIGHT OF THE SOUL. To 11 May.

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NIGHT OF THE SOUL
by David Farr
The Pit, Barbican Theatre To 11 May 2002
Mon-Sat 7.15 Mat Thur & Sat 1.45pm
Runs 2hr 40min One interval

TICKETS 020 7638 8891
Review Timothy Ramsden 24 April

The plot devices come thick and fast, but the underlying point fails to make it.Inside David Farr's play there's a truly awful Hollywood film fidgeting about. It would have shots of the Meridian Hotel, its logo awarding itself a subliminal four-stars. Then some spurious moody thrills in the slow trawl through the hotel's secret basement.

The flashes –or ponderously prepared moves - back to the mid-14th century would need updating – say, to something Sleepy Hollowish. Plenty of mist and mystery with somehow distanced figures going through period rituals, served up in a superficial, easily-understood way. And linking the different periods a substantial wraith to give a strong taste of Sixth Sense everyday supernaturalism. (No, those aren't awful films: but think about their derivatives).

Plenty of opportunities for emotive Hollywood acting. Neuroses from fashionably entrepreneurial Francis, of the cheque-book-absolves-emotional-debts school, and his left-behind family. Old schoolmate turned local failure, with a moment of glory in the plot, and hotel staff would release tension as appropriate. Yes, it could be truly terrible.

What saves the production – just about –from this, is some good acting. Tom Mannion wraps his features into a mobile-phone user's body language, or comes up with indignation at the enigmatic Joanna's apparent invasion of his room and rage as a top lad returning home to his alienated family.

Zoe Waites' benign anxiety as a longer-distance guilt-tripper is unimpeachable. Visible only to Tom - she hopes he can expunge her guilt and let her die - it seems he's not the man she'd hoped. As she'd based her expectations on little more than a coincidence in their sons' name plus family guilt (and who's immune from that?) it's hardly surprising. Nevertheless, she finds peace. A pity; Waites could give the undead a good name - and her widespread invisibility occasions Farr's best comic scene.

Hattie Morahan deliciously sends up moron-inflected receptionists. It's a pity she has to whisk round the back to emerge - in identical lipstick - as a suffering medieval peasant. Will Tacey gives vivid life to Francis's redundant dad in one brief scene.

Overall, plenty of plot, minbed with guilty secrets, but too much ill-digested medieval hokum to let any moral or spiritual values emerge unscathed

Terry: Nigel Betts
Francis Chappell: Tom Mannion
Tracy: Hattie Morahan
Doreen Chappell: Cherry Morris
Liz Chappell: Alison Newman
Harold Chappell: Will Tacey
Joanna: Zoe Waites
Priest: Alex Zorbas

Director: David Farr
Designer: Angela Davies
Lighting: Chris Davey
Sound: Ian Dickinson
Film: Ben Hopkins
Music: Keith Clouston
Movement: Liz Ranken

2002-04-26 01:44:31