SONG OF THE WESTERN MEN. To 7 September.
Chichester
SONG OF THE WESTERN MEN
by Christopher William Hill
Minerva Theatre To 7 September 2002
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Wed & Sat 2.45pm
Runs 2hr 25min One interval
TICKETS 01243 781312
Review Timothy Ramsden 26 August
An absorbing new play by a little-known writer, given a full–production, cast from strength; one which absorbs the influences on it into a coherent whole with an individual voice.I enjoyed Hill's butcher-shop play Lam at Exeter's Northcott several years ago. Now Song confirms his rich, uncluttered writing - and his regional identity. Its keen wit always develops situation and character, while serious matters are never far away.
Hill develops his subject gradually without the action ever dragging. Structurally, the play coheres without being over-contrived.
It begins with an old man's burial, skilfully equipped with laughs along the way. And ends with an unnatural, ironic death which lacks formal, ritual resolution.
It's set on St Martins, among the Scilly Isles off south-west England. There's only one none-islander - Frank Gunwallow, a straightlaced Post Office manager come to reprimand the island postmaster. He's stranded among this community as they would be on what's, to them, the remote mainland.
And it's 1939. The mild-mannered vicar views Mussolini as a force against anarchism. He's sure there'll be no war - mankind's grown too sensible. Carrying a sense of guilt from the Great War, postmaster Vic Oliver's less certain.
He's been snaffling the Children's Encyclopaedia young Morwenna May ordered, using the learning to stand up – in a beautifully written scene - to the Vicar in philosophical argument. Ian Brimble is perfect as the obstinate, resentful yet deep-feeling Vic.
Hill keeps all nine characters alive, developing their brittle relationships, as between Mary Wimbush's stubborn yet superstitious old Grace – tradition and modernity interweave in the play - and Christine Moore's sensible Mary, her sharp-wits showing in her gaze. She uneasily shares a shop counter with Stuart Fox's good-humouredly tolerant Tommy: a fine characterisation, serious yet comically contrasting the more intense people around.
Director Andy Brereton's finely-focused, fluent production shows his experience in education work at Chichester through the sympathetic handling of the younger characters' youthful openness and instinctive clannishness. And especially Samantha Robinson's restless, sex-obsessed Morwenna, veering between pigtails and trousers, and elegant dressing-up, her main form of courtship to give lads a kicking.
Her relation with Gunwallow is the play's trickiest angle. There's insufficient background to Christopher Naylor's non-islander: the one area where the playwright's designing becomes apparent.
No matter: this remains a robust yet quietly moving drama.
Rev Tregarthen: Peter Baldwin
Vic Oliver: Ian Brimble
Jack Oliver: Dominic Colenso
Tommy Trenear: Stuart Fox
Ben Trenear: Dugald Gunn
Mary Oliver: Christine Moore
Frank Gunwallow: Christopher Naylor
Morwenna May: Samantha Robinson
Grace Clemmow: Mary Wimbush
Director: Andy Brereton
Designer: Gary McCann
Lighting: Sam Gibbons
Sound: Emma James
Music: Janie Armour
Voice coach: Jane van Hool
2002-08-27 15:49:13