PARADISE BOUND. To 20 May.

Liverpool

PARADISE BOUND
by Jonathan Larkin

Everyman Theatre To 20 May 2006
Monday-Sat 7.45pm Mat 10 May 1.40pm, 20 May 2pm
Audio-described 12 May
BSL Signed 17 May
Runs 2hr 5min One interval

More earth-bound, in fact.
Gemma Bodinetz’s directorship of Liverpool’s two producing theatres is going in divergent directions. High-class revivals at the Playhouse and very variable new work uphill at the Everyman. The last piece Unprotected was the best but, alas for Merseyside playwriting, while it had several local playwrights scripting it, they were using verbatim testimony to create a picture of drug-related prostitution built round the murders of two young women.

It was one of the most devastating pieces of theatre I’ve seen recently, but things skid downhill with Jonathan Larkin’s Paradise Bound. This was enthusiastically received by its audience and should be very popular. It is quite often funny. Beyond that, though, this is another expedition to the Liverpool sink estates where witty self-reliance gets you nowhere except through the day, because it’s curtailed by lack of ambition.

Bob Bailey’s set has a developer’s mission-statement of ‘Your future, Now’ and a notice for a swanky reception to sell smart apartments fitted over familiar Mersey landmarks and a mix of girders and a basic kitchen onstage, setting the ‘leave us to be miserable on our own’ mood. The City of Culture and Wayne Rooney come in for some knocks too: as would anything signifying success.

True, young Anthony plans to emigrate. But he’s hiding an aspect of his identity that marginalises him in this society, as determined by the genial Ann’s comments about non-standard citizens. And Larkin nurses the emigration idea, visible but unheard, like a contented baby in the plot.

Otherwise it’s the usual mix of sentiment (health problems heralding solemnity) and sparky humour from wafer-thin characters on whom characteristics are overlaid. They neither become believable individuals explored in depth nor represent anything larger than themselves.

The plot ambles like these individuals’ lives – which might make a point except they are never explored beyond a surface presentation. Sue Dunderdale’s production manages it all efficiently, letting a strong quartet of performers deliver the comedy and manage the sentiment. Maybe outsiders shouldn’t grumble; this piece speaks to Liverpool people. Even so, it fails to do more than tell them what they want to hear.

Anthony: Ciaran Griffiths
Ann: Kerry Peers
Kathleen: Mary Jo Randle
Danny: Michael Ryan

Director: Sue Dunderdale
Designer: Bob Bailey
Lighting: Tina McHugh
Sound: Sean Pritchard
Dramaturg: Suzanne Bell
Assistant director: Adam Maher

2006-05-11 09:16:01