Communicating Doors

Communicating Doors takes place over a period of forty years. Scenes bounce between 1985, 2005, and 2025. Though this is not science fiction, the fluidity of time is just one difficulty which could get in the way of the suspension of disbelief. The set is a hotel room in London and the opening scene takes place in 2025. By going through a closet door certain characters move back and forth in time – sort of The Lion,The Witch and The Wardrobe for adults.  Ayckbourn calls his play “A time-travelling comedy thriller” and it is certainly that.

Poopay a Prostitute sorry, a Dominatrix, has been summoned to be of ‘service’ to an elderly client residing in a plush London hotel. Coerced into witnessing her client’s confession to the circumstances of two murders Poopay soon finds herself running for her life.  Her flight through a communicating door brings her face to face with Ruella, her elderly client’s second wife, who apparently died in suspicious circumstances twenty years earlier.  Poopay’s gradual friendship with Ruella changes the future for both of them.

The hotel room setting was fine. A bathroom with cutaway walls ensured action was visible, the main living area, a balcony, an archway to the bedroom and, of course, the imperative revolving door.  As the action is more or less continuous it is difficult to make a room look forty years different but subtle changes in the lighting created alternative ambience.  I have only as yet mentioned the revolving door in passing but it certainly needs to be applauded, with its flashing lights and revolving turntable it was very impressive.

The challenge for the male actors Reece, Julian and Harold is ageing.  Obviously body language helps but a 20-something security man ageing by putting on a jacket and a pair of glasses didn’t quite convince.  Maybe a moustache would have helped.  Also, greying someone’s hair to look elderly doesn’t really work when the character needs to look forty years younger, in the way the character of Reece does, within a few pages - and then back again.  The difference in ages was achieved more markedly with/by Julian 

Poopay (the Dominatrix) and Ruella (the second wife) are the main characters in this play. They discover that Poopay can go back 20 years which means she can warn Ruella of her imminent untimely death and although Ruella cannot go forward she too can go back 20 years and therefore warns Reece’s first wife Jessica of hers too.  I would say the play succeeds or fails on whether they convince the audience of the bond they build between each other and the real affection they grow to have.

Frances Rennie as Poopay and Prue Harrison as Ruella achieved this with two excellent performances, creating many comedy moments without losing any genuine drama.  The only problem I had with hearing either of them was when they talked over laughs, otherwise I commend their diction.The other four characters in the play must not be forgotten. Grace Harper as first wife Jessica lent able support and convinced us of her disbelief of the facts she was being asked to believe. She showed genuine concern for Ruella even though she considered her to be mad. Her appearance as Julian’s mother was also a shock to the audience. David Battom as the businessman Reece managed the changes in his age reasonably well. I liked the difference shown in the elderly character at the end of the play because of the way his life has been altered by the actions of Ruella and Poopay. His final scene with Poopay/Phoebe was very touching.Ian Toombs was convincingly horrible as the murdering business associate. Personally I feel he could have been even more sinister rather than threatening but that is a very small comment. Simon Wheeler made the most of the minor role of Harold, the hotel security guard who is called upon to deal with the various unpleasantnesses which arise in the luxury accommodation. I am sure we will see Mr Wheeler give many more stage appearances. 

Director Moira Stephenson can be proud of extracting some extremely good performances from her cast who worked well together.  There was much to admire and enjoy with this latest offering from St John’s Players of an intriguing and well performed play.

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