OUT IN THE OPEN: Harvey: Bham Rep/Hampstead

Birmingham / Hampstead

Out in the Open: Jonathan Harvey
Hampstead Theatre/ The Door@ Birmingham Rep
Directed by: Kathy Burke
Running time: 2½ hours
Review: Rod Dungate 5th May 2001, Bham Rep

Sadly doesn't live up to it's early promise

Jonathan Harvey's play is about grieving, or rather about closure after a
period of grieving. Thirty-something Tony's partner has died six months
before the play begins. Tony picks up a young lad (Iggy) in a pub and brings
him home (which is where we come in) and finds there is more about the boy
than meets the eye. As Tony alternately breaks and builds his relationship
with Iggy, his friends (which includes the dead partner's mother) alternately
help and hinder - all in the name of love.

The first scene is beautifully written and performed: I sensed I was in for a
moving evening in the theatre, but, sadly, the rest of the play doesn't live up
to the early promise and I was left cold.

The problem is in the writing. The male characters (particularly the two
main ones) are carefully and touchingly written: Tony's dilemma is only too
real. Against this, the women characters seem grotesque and two
dimensional - they seem little more than variations of the character Kathy
Burke (who directs Out in the Open) plays in the TV series Gimme, Gimme,
Gimme. Burke is a talented actor and director (often undervalued): she keeps
the action snappy and exposes the raw nerves with sensitivity but cannot
overcome the central flaw.

Mark Bonnar (Tony) carries our sympathies all the way along and Sean
Gallagher (lodger, Kevin) makes energetic and often humorous interventions.
Michele Austin (friend, Monica) is engaging in her unkindly drawn role and
Vilma Hollingbury is hilarious as elderly Rose, a character who appears for no
apparent dramatic reason but is delightful nevertheless.

Director: Kathy Burke
Designer: Michael Taylor
Lighting: Chris Davey
Sound: Dean Whiskens

Cast:
Tony: Mark Bonnar
Iggy: James McAvoy
Mary: Linda Bassett
Kevin: Sean Gallagher
Monica: Michele Austin
Rose: Vilma Hollingbery

2001-11-10 17:30:21