THE DAUGHTER IN LAW. Perth Theatre to 2 March.

Perth

THE DAUGHTER IN LAW
by D H Lawrence

Perth Theatre To 2 March 2002
Runs 2hr One interval

TICKETS 01738 621031
Reviewer - Thelma Good 16 February

Rarity offers rewards that overcome the problems a novice playwright presents. This play wasn't performed in Lawrence's lifetime so he never got to see its strengths or weaknesses. Lawrence wrote a mother whose mental apron strings are strong as a mine's steel winding gear but they're subconsciously wrought. Delena Kerr's Mrs Gascoyne gives us the tough woman the Empire and the working man was built on. She and Ashley Cook as Joe her charming but potential indolent son keep the interest going through a first act which Winter has inexplicably directed with long moments where all we have is words. The subtle physical language of a mother and son relation rarely appears.

The following acts fare better. As Minnie Rachel Mulcahy gets the young woman's sharp understanding and deep sadness at what she has done by marrying Luther. Physically a fine specimen, Luther may have fire in his loins but his top storey isn't well lit. Alex Kerr ultimately fails to find the inner despair in the largely incoherent Luther, resorting too often to head in hands signalling. Most of the cast and therefore the audience get the full rich weight out of the play's Nottingham dialect. It's fun too spotting the period furniture and props Elroy Ashmore has given the production.

The interest of this rarely seen play with its vivid speech and three clear performances compensates for its drawbacks. Lawrence in 1912, like most novelists trying their words on the stage, had yet to learn how economical with words and explanations a drama can be. If he'd seen it performed he might well have severely cut that first act.

Mrs Gascoyne - Delena Kidd
Joe Gascoyne - Ashley Cook
Mrs Purdy - Anne Kidd
Minnie - Rachel Mulcahy
Luther Gascoyne - Alex Kerr

Director: Michael Winter
Designer: Elroy Ashmore
Lighting: Simon Sewell
Dialect Coaches - Tim Charrington, Carol Ann Crawford

2002-02-21 01:08:16