OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH. To 29 March.
Tour.
OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH
by Peter Flannery.
Northern Stage Tour to 29 March 2008.
Runs 3hr 40min One interval.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 12 March at Oxford Playhouse.
Vivid moral abyss that invites an accompanying revival of the Brenton/Hare Brassneck, with its coverage of similar territory.
Two names ricochet through England’s 1960s Housing hall of shame: Rachman and Poulson. Playwright Peter Flannery has written about both; London landlord Rachman in Singer, and Yorkshire architect Poulson, who lined his pockets by bribing those awarding contracts, in this 1982 drama.
Northern Stage is the right company to revive Friends, because of their tradition of taking on big theatrical matters and because Newcastle-upon-Tyne under Labour fixer T Dan Smith was the scene of Poulson’s most notorious deal. There’ll still be people around who remember it all.
Flannery’s play is epic, and not just in length. Don’t be put off by the running-time. Unless you’re never going to like this type of drama, it’s never tedious. Picking up several strands in turn and making its characters only as individual as they need be to make clear their social positions ands views, there’s a strong narrative thrust from the three main storylines, and no wallowing in individual psyches.
Flannery’s theme is corruption: of socialist ideals in Donohue, of principle in favour of personal gain by a couple (Thatcher-voters-in-waiting) rehoused after suffering a damp and dangerous new home, of office in a Tory minister.
There’s institutional corruption too, in the Metropolitan Police and in British oil companies busting government sanctions against White-ruled Rhodesia. Such institutions propagate further corruption by concealment. People suffer and die because of others’ greed and power-lust. The point’s made to working-class Geordie in his phase as a mercenary, by a Black Marxist freedom-fighter. No wonder the introduction refers to Shakespeare’s Henry V Prologue: this is an anti-heroic national drama.
Erica Whyman’s production plays with understanding around Soutra Gilmour’s revolving, blank-sided cabin, compartments opening to reveal various locations, all given atmosphere by Ian Scott’s lighting, with its rare and marked use of strong colour, and Rob Brown’s soundscape, plus the Oakes-Wolter score. Acting’s not all top-notch and there are some dodgy accents along the way, but it’s at the least robust, with Craig Conway and Neil Phillips strong in different ways as the focal characters, and Paul McCleary morally urgent as a police-officer frustratedly pursuing the cause of Right.
Nicky/Black: Daniel Ainsleigh.
Tosker/Charlie/Kruger: Neil Armstrong.
Bede Connor/Sir Edward Jones/Claude Seabrook: Rod Arthur.
Ronald Conrad/Trevor Sykes/Lance: Christian Bradley.
Mary/Rusty/Alison: Sonia Beinroth.
Geordie: Craig Conway.
John Edwards/Harold Chapple: Rod Culbertson.
Eddie Wells/Alan Whitaker: Bill Fellows.
Joseph/Jimmy Roadhouse: Andrew French.
Benny Barratt/John Bourne/Castledine: Matthew Flynn.
Roy Johnson/The Minister/Weir: Paul McCleary.
Felix Hutchinson/Dennis Cockburn/Waiter/Adams: Tony Neilson.
Donohue: Neil Phillips.
Man on Bench: Andrew Stephenson.
Florrie/Mrs Kelly/Henny/Six/Debbie: Tracey Wilkinson.
Director: Erica Whyman.
Designer: Soutra Gilmour.
Lighting: Ian Scott.
Sound: Rob Brown.
Composers: Simon Oakes, Adam Wolters.
Fight director: Paul Benzing.
Associate director: Psyche Stott.
2008-03-13 02:24:37