4000 miles, Chichester and Gwen John
I had failed to get tickets for the original outing of 4000 miles, which was due to play in 2020 but got cancelled by covid. So, it was great to get another opportunity, this time with Sebastian Croft as Leo, but still with Eileen Atkins as Vera. Set completely in Vera’s Manhattan apartment, Leo, her grandson, turns up out of the blue, she complaining she hasn’t got her teeth in, and he agitatedly pointing out that she still hasn’t changed the name on the door from her husband who died many years before. This pithy scene sets the tone for the rest of the play, which is a thoughtful look at getting old and growing up, grief and communication. It’s not a loud, shouty sort of play, but allows the characters and relationships to show themselves through the various conversations they have over a few weeks and the stuff said, unsaid, or not heard between them. There’s obviously an odd couple undertone here, both lefties but with different understanding of what that means, both learning from each other. There isn’t a large sweeping narrative, instead a gentle uncovering, with some genuinely funny lines, the best coming after Leo has poured his heart out, explaining what lays at the heart of his distress.
This is mainly a two hander and so relies heavily on the skill of the two leads, who are both great. Eileen Atkins is subtle and funny, with great timing and everything you would expect from one of the greats - so glad I got to see her. Sebastian Croft as the youngster here is well able to match her though, being empathetic and irritating often at the same time, and letting us see the pain and confusion that is sitting below the surface despite his bravado. The play is enhanced by the two other characters, a long term girlfriend of Leo’s and a one night stand. Both act as grit in the oyster, crystallising some of the inconsistencies in the stories that the two main characters tell about themselves, and acting as catalysts at points in the story. There was some grumbling in reviews about Richard Eyre’s direction of the play, particularly regarding the frequent scene changes, but I didn’t feel they had a negative impact, although perhaps it made the piece more meditative and melancholic rather than sharp and pacey. I enjoyed it as it was, although the sharper play is probably in there too and I’d probably be up for that as well.
A quick note about the lighting design which was mainly quite low, but with one sudden shift to blindingly bright. I got the point, bearing in mind that it comes when reality has to be faced; the sudden change left me blinking and with eyes watering and I don’t think I was the only one!
Shockingly, I haven’t ever been in this theatre before which is lovely and intimate with good acoustics and every seat with a great view. It was notable that the majority of the clientele were closer to Vera’s age than Leo’s, but Sebastian Croft’s star rating from Heartstopper meant there was also a contingent of excited young people, mainly but not exclusively female, there to meet their compatriots in fandom as well as see their hero.
The gaggle that came in at the very last minute certainly made their presence felt, filming their entry on their phones (which amused me later, given Croft’s character Leo eschews mobile phones, preferring reality), and incongruously carrying a large cake box amongst other things. But, once they settled down, we could get going and it made me happy that this quiet little play was being seen by people who may not have been that interested otherwise. Having been a part of fandoms in the past and having made great real life friends from it, I was also happy to see that the fandom relationships continue to happen in real life and not just in the (often toxic) online spaces. I saw that the fans managed to meet Croft in the foyer after the performance (together with the cake!), with the evidence on twitter later, and so all turned out well there too!
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