SILENT ENGINE: Garner, Pentabus Touring till 26 October

SILENT ENGINE: Julian Garner
Pentabus Theatre in partnership with the National Theatre Studio

Runs: 80m: no interval: tour till 26 October, details www.pentabus.co.uk, tel 01584 856654
Review: Ranjit Khutan, Arena Wolverhampton: 16th October 2002

Emotional, telling, human, with some sharp humour.
An emotional play which allows us to see how death does not occur in isolation and the knock on effects that it has. Cathy Owen and Robin Pirongs deliver heartfelt performances in this new play by Julian Garner.

Cathy Owen plays Anna with conviction a woman who we initially see dealing with the loss of her baby daughter in an unhealthy way through her whining and negative reflection. Whilst Anna outwardly displays her feelings Bill holds everything in which leads to an outburst of emotions by both when their silence is broken during this chance encounter on a beach. Robin Pirongs's Bill is rational and calm but this soon dissipates when he is forced to address the feelings that they haven't shared with each other.

We hear about the bargains they made to themselves and with God during the early stages of the loss of their daughter and how, when confronting their pain, this leads them to move further apart instead of bringing them together.

Bill complains of Anna's drinking, arguing that he can't stand someone who can't hold their drink' this runs parallel to his belief that Anna can't hold in her feelings like he does. When they do talk he goes on to accuse her of liking the pain, of wallowing in the mire, with her response that pain is all I have it's all I have left'. However, in a direct address to the audience Robin Pirongs captivates us with his gripping and lamentable account of Bill's thoughts and feelings.

You would feel humour would not sit well in a play examining such a tragic issue however, Garner writes his lines with precision and where humour is used it is genuine and sharp.

Anna: Cathy Owen
Bill: Robin Pirongs

Director: Theresa Heskins
Designer: Kate Bunce
Lighting: Charles Balfour
Sound: Barney Philbrick

Final Tour Date: 23 - 26 October Salisbury Playhouse

2002-10-18 19:57:03