ONE GLASS WALL. To 20 November.
London
ONE GLASS WALL
by Danusia Iwaszko
Theatre 503 Latchmere Pub, 503 Battersea Park Road SW11 3BW To 20 November 2004
Tue-Sat 8pm Sun 5pm
Runs 2hr One interval
TICKETS: 020 7978 7040
Review: Timothy Ramsden 7 November
An interrupted car journey turns a holiday into a lifestyle.This play has a terrific opening scene. It then becomes near totally unbelievable. But there's still enough good material to show that, despite a faulty concept, it's the work of someone who knows how to write for the stage.
In 1968 a married couple are making their way to the Lake District, with their 8-year old daughter playing and being demanding in the rear seat. It's a perfectly written and played scene, and despite the 2D car-front and the fact the actors are all standing, the writing sharply defines the relationships.
Then father disappears and we're expected to believe mother and daughter spend a decade living in the old car, parked above a main road. After the realistic start, this situation's ludicrous. There are other flaws; the fear claimed for the two women has not been apparent till it's mentioned (they actually seem a courageous pair to maintain the life so long). And Morag's final step to independence is too cursory.
But Danusia Iwaszko has a strong sense of character and relationships, particularly that of mother and daughter. Morag's development into a young woman is explored through growing independence of mind and the need to establish her own space suggested by the new friendships of which we hear.
And Iwaszko suggests the passing time tactfully the discovery of poison in lead, the long hot summer of '76. She knows how to make details work towards the play's overall impact (an earpiece for Morag's radio shows the daughter technologically ahead of her mother).
Crispin Bonham-Carter's production serves the play excellently, with exemplary performances. John Cormack has the one role that's more externally composed than internally realised but gives the father a seriousness of purpose. Siobhan McCarthy finds the low-level subservience of a 60s wife from the pre-liberation generation and the worries of a mother coming to terms with her growing daughter.
Lucie Dobbing is outstanding as Morag, moving from an 8-year old's direct emotions and sudden shifts of attention through more self-conscious body-language to the going-on 16 angry embarrassment at parental concern and the start of hurt adult emotions.
Bridie: Siobhan McCarthy
Mark: John Cormack
Morag: Lucie Dobbing
Director: Crispin Bonham-Carter
Designer: Belle Mundy
Lighting: Adrian Mullan
Sound: Nigel Piper
Movement Director: Vanessa Mildenberg
Assistant director: Melanie Branton
2004-11-08 00:27:02