Amy's View

Amy's View, in my view, epitomizes the writing of Sir David Hare, which is consistently edgy, cynical of the development in British culture and tackles real life at a level that is primal to all of us, making all of his writing both for film and the stage surprisingly and instantly accessible.

John Garland’s production capitalised on a talented cast to make the best of the exceptional and moving material provided by the author. From the outset we, the audience, became quickly invested in the characters as the contrast and colour delivered by each player was resolute and devoted. Complimented by a fabulous full stage set, era accurate costumes, hair and makeup; and technical support that were ostensibly flawless, the cast had the seamless provision to submerge their audience in the dark and uncomfortable themes.

Amy, played with unswerving conviction by Anna Steddon, is torn between loyalties to her capricious celebrity actress mother Evelyn, delivered with aplomb by the engaging Anita Shipton; and her boyfriend, latterly to become domineering misogynist  husband, Dominic who, dare I suggest, may have a soupçon of basis on Hare himself and was nicely delivered by Dan Dryer. The struggle and contempt between the pair cause evanescence in Amy’s natural positivity. Yet supported by her grandmother Esme, beautifully portrayed by Sarah London, Amy continues to play the protagonist between them. Despite becoming temporarily estranged from her mother, Amy still returns and tries to help Evelyn escape the debt and mischief caused by Frank, played very naturally by David Peaty, her second husband and flawed financial advisor.

At the culmination we see the feuding pair ultimately find the potential beginnings of some common ground in the loss of Amy in a final scene deftly interspersed with veracity by young actor Toby, pleasantly delivered by Maurice Humphrys. However, I love the fact that the author does not confirm this and neither did the fabulous Wick Players, leaving it to our own interpretation. In Hare’s own words ‘Sudden resolutions, like the sudden rise of mercury in a barometer, indicate little else than the variability of the weather.’

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