Home, I'm Darling

Laura Wade’s provocative, thought-provoking play peels back the Formica veneer and allows us a glimpse of what might be lurking beneath ‘perfection’. Before the play began, there was a lot of chatter among the audience members about the set design and the sentimental yearning for a bygone era started rumbling.  But Wade’s play sternly challenges this notion. Often forgotten are the hardships and politics of particular eras and the rose-tinted glasses gradually turned darker as the play unfolded.

The set is well designed and aesthetically pleasing. The muted malibu colour palette is perfect for 1950s and there were lots of props and pieces giving retro hip vibes. Well done Ian Howarth, Cliff Burton, Claire Heywood and the workshop team.

Judy adeptly played by Amelia Newman was a real presence on stage. This actress drove the whole piece and acted as the base energy for each scene. Believable and watchable.  The character Judy, once a high-flying businesswoman, trades managing people for domestic management and Amelia played this character, who has to show an increasing uncertainty whilst trying to remain resolute in her decision, very well. The defensiveness was well played, as was the subtext of someone realising that what she had actually facilitated was a regression to dependence on men and a narrowing of horizons. Congratulations on an assured portrayal.

Shirley Harrison played Judy’s mum, Sylvia. Shirley was wonderful in this role. The dialogue felt natural in her voice, she never missed a thought or let the audience miss a nuance or undercurrent. The emotions came across as genuine and the voice of reason, the bemused mother aghast to see the advances in feminism cast aside, played brilliantly.

Marcus played by Rob Livesey Wade was dangerously disarming to begin with but the change we witness reminds us of when predatory men could do as they please. Rob played Marcus well. Coming across as friendly and charming but handling the uncomfortable scenes later in the play with a light hand, which made the content all the more sinister. A nice character decision.

Rob Butler portrayed Johnny. The husband of Judy who was somewhat reluctant to live as his wife wished and in fact Wade writes that Johnny loses faith in the project before Judy, which is an interesting slant given that many would believe it to be the other way round. A lot of Rob’s delivery worked well, and he had an ease on stage which was nice to witness. Some of the deeper emotional moments could have been pushed further vocally and physically but a naturalistic and pleasing portrayal.

The best friend role, Fran, wife of Marcus was given by Lisa Lott. Some comic relief and a great well rounded and detailed character was executed here. Well done! And Jordan Lawler as Alex completes the cast with a good energy and some humorous moments.

Director, Alex Cohen handled the content well. The characterisations were full, and the action well placed. The sense of warped inevitability was evident throughout and the home truths pointedly signalled. There sometimes felt as if there was going to be an extra twist to the story, this was more due to the script than the direction though, but the sense of tension, rightly conjured by the direction may have made us expect this, as is our modern want/habit.  There were some elements that made this feel like a modern Ayckbourn ( or an old Ayckbourn set now!) and Alex ensured that the message was clear, the human story was at the forefront and that the well-written script was utilised to the full.

An interesting and well - acted play. Congratulations to all involved.

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