London — The family is struggling on the London stage these days, and in at least one example, the balloon is partially responsible. that is”Southberry ChildA vibrant, non-uniform new play from Stephen Beresford, who arrived at the Bridge Theater (until August 27) after premiering at the Chichester Festival Theater in southern London last month.
A girl, Taylor Southbury, has died of a rapidly spreading illness, and local minister David Highland (Alex Jennings, Galvanic Starturn) is preparing for her funeral. The girl’s deceased mother, Tina (Sara Toumei), praised her daughter’s memory with helium balloons throughout the church and demanded that her child be accompanied by the image of a Disney princess that she loved so much. ..
But David rejects this idea. “This isn’t just a matter of taste, it’s just a matter of aesthetics,” he tells his wife Mary (Phoebe Nichols) when the townspeople of the Dartmouth constituency gather in support of Tina’s wishes. The most important thing about making Taylor sad is the “God-worthy experience” of seeing death head-on around the spacious kitchen table where the minister dominates Mark Thompson’s set. This means rejecting Disney-branded balloon-like decorations that do not focus on spiritual priorities such as salvation.
David, as you’ll soon see, is far from perfect and may not be in an ideal position to judge the behavior and protocols of others. A drink-loving philanthropist, he threatens to completely explode his family. He’s as much as flipping a congregation where you can hear the growing dissatisfaction that “Taylor’s justice” becomes their mantra during the changing scene. (Typical sound design is by George Dennis.)
This play does not waste time explaining David’s emotional contradictions. “You’re not a poster boy of unwavering principles,” says Craig, a new gay Scottish parish deputy minister in town, who is pretty handy. He fought his own battle with liquor.
In addition to the increasingly nasty cross-flow, the cramped uncle of the dead girl, Lee (Josh Finan), the actions of Act II send a real tremor through the house, and Highland’s grown-up daughter, Susanna (Joe). Herbert) and Naomi (brilliant Racheal Ofori) first brought out their personality as prims and then in her youth, and the adopted brothers are free spirits who prefer weeds.
As a showcase for Andrew Scott, Beresford wrote one of the decisive plays of the blockade in his wonderful solo work, The Three Kings. Here, I feel the joy of being able to make a new appearance on the stage as a playwright.
The thematic and ambitious “Southberry Child” suggests a vibrant national play position that does not waste time mentioning the reality of social division, unemployment and Brexit. Much can also be said about the post-culture climate that could swallow David under mob rule. Nicholas Hytner’s distinctive subtle rendition is most robust when the play is most serious, and when David with Jennings glasses puts his lightness on one side to give way to real pain. It is on a solid foundation.
Heitner and Jennings have been working together for decades, but their latest collaboration owes an immeasurable amount of Jennings’ ability to struggle for a minute and harness the next source of emotion.
Elsewhere, I’m a little tired of the more fascinating moments of the script. Waitrose, a British luxury grocery store, has been adopted by the punch line, and there is a lightbulb joke that you can swear you’ve heard before.
It also seems strange that the disgraceful David gives up the center stage near the end of the struck Lee. Lee is playing with a bunch of despair where talented Finan ends the agenda with intriguing open-ended notes. Because of all the refreshingness of the play that gag likes, “Southberry Child” is soaked in pain that even the best sermons can be difficult to relieve.
Theresa Rebeck’s “MadhouseIt was premiered at the Ambassadors Theater until September 4th. What can I say other than noticing that I didn’t believe in a word of visual difficulty?
The overall sensation of Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s work is that Lebeck, a seasoned Broadway American writer such as “Seminar” and “Bernhard / Hamlet”, is on stage with his main character, the TV star. It’s especially amazing following reports of writing so many plays, especially with actor David Harbor in mind — especially taking advantage of mental health issues. Harbor facing In the past.
A dying father (Bill Pullman) turns his three children down, and Harbor’s emotionally selfish Michael’s chief isn’t so overtly owed to a play like “August: Osage County.” If so, it will help. Gender has been reversed, not to mention early studies of family discord, such as Arthur Miller’s “The Price.” Pullman’s mysterious Daniel has a series of standoffs that rely on holy narrative devices such as revelation letters and bald statements in a moaning order that “none of us had childhood.” Howl towards the grave through.
The special remark is made by the widow’s toxic daughter, Pam (Cinade Matthews). Pam is the last child to gather in a chaotic family home for a rough calculation to find a room for a hospice nurse played by the wonderful Akiya. Henry, Olivier Award Candidate This year it was a performance at the “Macbeth” at the Almeida Theater.
Henry’s personality is patronized in the words of the saints and enters a moment of collapse that behaves better than it deserves to be written. The dismissal of her “this ridiculous country” (meaning the United States) seems to have been calculated to strike the hearts of the British audience. It’s always nice to see Pullman on stage, and perhaps Harbor’s belief near the knuckle is undoubtedly present.
But I’m still thinking about the important story role of pencil sharpeners. Pencil sharpeners can be easily found outside the back door for immediate use. Playful, be careful: I don’t know when stationery will be a matter of life and death.
Southberry Child.. A work directed by Nicholas Hytner. Bridge Theater, until August 27th.
Madhouse.. A work directed by Moritz von Stuel Pnagel. Ambassadors Theater, until September 4th.
