PORNOGRAPHY till 20 September.

Birmingham

PORNOGRAPHY: Simon Stephens.
Birmingham Rep, The Door.
Tkts: 0121 236 4455, www.birmingham-rep.co.uk.
Runs: 1h 35m, no interval, till 20 September.
Review: Rod Dungate, 4 September 2008.

A very special event indeed.

PORNOGRAPHY is an amazing piece of writing in a production to match.

Simon Stephens explores life in London (aka Britain) as the euphoria surrounding London’s winning of the Olympic bid turned to the horror at the devastation of the London bombings which followed so quickly. But he’s not examining the bombings themselves, nor exactly what led up to them, nor their effect on us all. He’s looking at the well-being, or otherwise, of the UK.

However misguided, the bombers acted in the belief that their actions would punish a sinful society and help bring about a better one. The path Stephens takes in his play allows us to consider this in its multi-layered complexity.

Stephens takes a group of people muddling their way through life, many taking wrong paths, many grasping after love, or trying to find meaning in their lives. The only person who is clear about his path is the bomber himself – and he’s on the most wrong path of all.

But should this all sound dreadfully heavy, it isn’t. Stephens' writing lifts it to a level beyond (in this case) pointless realism; the play exists on a poetic level – linguistically and emotionally. He conjures exquisite detail to build his complex picture: ‘The whole city’s haunted. Every street there’s something disused. There are forty tube stations, closed for fifty years . . . ‘ Consistently his play works on a metaphorical level.

Stephen’s writing is perfectly partnered by Sean Holmes’s assured direction. Holmes fuses all details, jumps, jarring, crossroads and byways into a seamless whole and creates a fast paced production that touches us like a living dream. Powerful, totally committed acting from the company ensure PORNOGRAPHY’s very special indeed.

Cast: Frances Ashman, Loo Brealey, Sacha Dhawan, Amanda Hale, Jeff Rawle, Sheila Reid, Billy Seymour, Sam Spruell.

Director Sean Holmes.
Designer: Paul Wills.
Lighting Designer: Chris Davey.
Sound Designer: Emma Laxton.
Casting Director: Amy Ball.

2008-09-05 10:51:50