Orphans

At the outset I may say that anyone attending this spellbinding three hander production should consider themselves very privileged indeed to have seen a piece of theatre that would grace the West End.    This extremely gritty and challenging play by Lyle Kessler had its origins on Broadway in 1983.

The story of an older brother Treat bringing up his younger brother Philip, their mother having died and father having deserted them, contained echoes of Del Boy and Rodney.    However, in Orphans, Treat is a violent petty thief and Philip is kept innocent, vulnerable and terrified of the outside world, fearing that he will die if he ventures outside.    Philip spends most of his time in his late mother's closet with one of her red shoes as a "comfort blanket".   As soon as he hears his brother's approach he takes refuge.   The raw violence and expletive riddled language used by the emotionally damaged Treat to the world in general and his child like, but fully grown, younger brother Philip gripped one from the very start of this richly compelling play.

Damien de Roche  as Treat certainly lived up to his character's name.    He is a powerful looking well made actor and his portrayal of the violent thief was quite delightful.    His frustration with the world and the hopelessness of his situation really tugged at the heart rings.   The younger brother Philip was played by Aaron J Evans;  not so much acted as inhabited by an extraordinarily gifted young actor,    aged just 20, of whom a great deal more will certainly be heard very soon.

These two marvellous actors gripped the play and the audience by the throat from the very first and one dare not take one's eyes off them for a single moment.

The play reached an even higher emotional angst, which was scarcely possible, with the arrival of Harold, who was kidnapped by Treat and brought home to rob whilst drunk.   Harold, also an orphan is a worldly wise older criminal who, after escaping the bonds with which Treat had bound him slowly takes over the organisation and teaching of the two emotionally damaged brothers.    Steven Mann as Harold amazingly matches the standard set by the other two actors.

Harold employs Treat as a dogsbody in his own criminal organisation and is kind to and encourages Philip to be more independent and  actually to venture outside the house.    Slowly, Harold becomes a surrogate father to the boys until the frustrated Treat in a bid to assert his own personality clashes with Harold.

The story ends with Harold returning home having been hunted down and fatally wounded by Chicago gangsters and, as he dies in front of the brothers, the outpouring of emotion by Treat and Philip, who is tightly hugging Treat is almost too much to bear.    The tables have been turned and it is now Treat who is hugging one of his mother's coats for comfort.

The programme informs us that Sarah Morrison, the director, has a first class BA Hons. in musical Theatre and Classical Acting from the prestigious Mount View Theatre School.    May I say that this achievement is richly deserved if this play is anything to go by.

I had the privilege to meet  Sarah and the three actors after the show and the bond between them all seemed very deep.    Hardly surprising after this theatrical triumph.

The producer Stuart Yeatman very kindly showed Sue and myself round the well equipped Green Room Theatre and introduced us to Alistair Lindsay, the young and talented sound and lighting operator.   Stuart is rightly proud of this lovely studio theatre which owes its success largely to his inspiration and dedication.    People such as Stuart are the real beating heart of the amateur theatre.    The realistic, shabby set in the brother's house in act 1 was given a makeover in Act 2, due to Harold's influence.   Set construction was in the capable hands of Roy Barnes, Stuart Yeatman and Melissa Cox, who was also assistant to the Director.    1980's style costumes were provided by Elizabeth Callow.

At the end of this fabulous play there was complete silence before the standing ovation by a blessed audience. Clearly, nobody wanted to break the spell.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.