People, Places and Things

 

A good on-the-day deal from TodayTix meant that I finally got to see this Olivier winning play and actor.  In the traverse staging and in subject matter it reminded me quite a lot of The Effect (which I wrote about here).   And I found the sound design really powerful too. 

The main draw here though is the stunning performance from Denise Gough as ‘Emma’ an addict and actor we first meet slurring her way through a production of The Seagull before she heads into rehab.  It’s a clever and, in the end, devastating move to have Sinead Cusack play both therapists and Emma’s mother.  There’s quite a lot here about the many layers and multiple personalities that actors adopt, all fake, and the camaraderie and friendship that only lasts as long as the production which give nice parallels to the rehab process.  Capturing the complexity of addiction and the many layers of deviousness, cause and effect, the difficulty of untangling abuse and abuser this had a very satisfying second act and a proper denouement. To be both devastating and somewhat life affirming is impressive but somehow it works.