OSAMA THE HERO. To 11 June.

London

OSAMA THE HERO
by Dennis Kelly

Hampstead Theatre In rep to 11 June
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 3pm
Audio-described 2 June
Captioned 1 June
Post-show discussion 1 June
Runs 1hr 25min No interval

TICKETS: 020 7722 9301
www.hampsteadtheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 18 May

Skilful reflections on an imperfect society.In an age when physical and technical invention is forever widening the vocabulary of theatrical presentation, spectacular ways of saying nothing very original are common. Dennis Kelly's new play, however, makes a complex and forceful argument through largely simple means.

Lights go up on the anonymous space to reveal two couples and a single figure. On the estate where these people live, with its burnt-out litter-bins and garages, any loner is likely to arouse suspicion. It happens to young Gary, who sets his problems flaring when he gives the wrong' answer in a school presentation on an heroic figure.

Identifying one puzzles him but he finds a logical list of heroic qualities in Osama Bin Laden someone Kelly knows he doesn't have to name. The presentation has made Gary a pariah. Furious Francis transfers his loathing from Mark, who lives shacked up in the estate's sole untouched garage with a schoolgirl, living the fantasy of life as twin TV presenters. 50 year old Mark's lust repels her, but the happy media family pretence keeps her there.

When Mark's garage is burnt-out, the crime's attributed to Osama-admiring hate object Gary. They kidnap him but he sticks to his hero's truthful standard denying the others the satisfaction of a fake admission. This tips hate into violence, though not from the most likely person.

These two scenes, where couples quarrel and Gary relates events in innocent bliss, give a picture of the fears, failures, fantasies and desires that bring about hatred of outsiders and which mean a snapped-shut refusal to think of any but the locally orthodox viewpoint. It's a world, or an estate, inevitably aggressive and violent.

But it's followed by a series of monologues. Just what you don't want an hour in, after action: a series of static, concentrated speeches, more fun for writer and performers than audience. Yet they indicate that the individual thinking alone can be more than a social-mob member. The whole piece is deftly acted, with spot-on timing, dialogue emerging like defensive stabs in the dark. Director Anthony Clark and the actors ensure understanding for each character.

Mandy: Christine Bottomley
Gary: Tom Brooke
Francis: Ian Dunn
Mark: Michael Mears
Louise: Rachel Sanders

Director: Anthony Clark
Designer: Patrick Connellan
Lighting: James Farncombe
Sound: John Leonard
Assistant director: Dafna Rubinstein

2005-05-19 07:23:09