Turbulence

Turbulence is set in 2014, when the Cameron government, committed towards a net zero carbon economy, aimed to bring about a major transition of power generation away from fossil fuels. Solar power and wind farms were to be the future. Yet the idea of colossal wind farms ranging over the sacred English countryside led to strong opposition in predominantly Tory-voting regions. Consequently, the government imposed a moratorium on the construction of onshore wind farms in 2015. Offshore ones were still permitted, and have indeed vastly increased in size and scale, but offshore energy like this is hugely more expensive than onshore would be.

This play looks at this issue, together with the transformation of old and cold minor stately homes into modernised hotel and spa complexes. But it also deals with the issues of a
modern family. The back room of the Star Inn lends itself very nicely to theatre performances. It is painted all black, there is a stage, and it seats 40, though sadly not in raked seating, so there is sometimes a lot of neck-craning to do. Pranksters always provide a very warm welcome. As far as the set was concerned, chairs and tables were in evidence – first of the village hall type, then of the garden or veranda type in later scenes. An easel and artist’s palette were used, and there was a banner at the public meeting.
Lighting and sound were very effective throughout, and there was a great selection of songs to lead into each scene.

This was a cleverly crafted play, well-directed by its author David Clegg. The action begins at a public meeting in the Village Hall to discuss two proposals: the transformation of the local ‘Big House’ into a swish hotel and spa complex, complete with golf course, and the construction of a large wind farm on the hilly area to one side of the village. Suddenly, of course, we found ourselves in the middle of the action, as fellow audience members jumped up to ask pertinent questions, or to heckle from the back. The local gardening club lamented the possible closing of access for the public to the beautiful gardens; dogwalkers protested who had been walking their dogs there since time immemorial; local folk objected to the increase in traffic, the list of objections went on. The proposed wind farm also caused consternation, as a potential eyesore on top of a local beauty spot, what would be the
implications for wildlife, and so on, though I think there were one or two supportive comments to the proposal too, if I remember correctly.

Robert, the owner of the house, well played by Martin Gardner, and his architect, the wonderful Phil Snell, defended as best they could, offering among other things a fleet of electric vehicles to transfer guests to and from the station – which idea was met with derision, bearing in mind the type of client the hotel was hoping to attract. The meeting was chaired by local council town planner Rachel (Alice Grey), who on the whole made a fairly good job of keeping the meeting under control.

The power company was represented by Jake (Olli Bruce), smartly suited, slick, a good defender of his project. One’s heart sank on behalf of the villagers, who one felt were protesting in vain. 

The action then switched to the garden of the ‘Big House’, where Robert and his wife Julia (tremendous performance from Debbie Lougher) are discussing the meeting and the proposal. We discover that the house has been in Julia’s family for generations, and that she is not 100% behind Robert’s idea. Rachel from the council turns up with Jake and his assistant Bee (Benedict), played well by Joe Hall. Whilst surveying the garden, Bee comes across Fee (Felicity), Robert and Julia’s ‘daughter’, yet more of a foundling evidently, who is painting in the garden. Alex Gold played this resentful, art school dropout, loner, rather well with simmering aggression below the surface, especially towards Robert. She seemed fonder of Julia, but then who wouldn’t be, Julia seemed full of optimism, energy and fun, Robert the dull businessman with his thoughts only on money making, could not connect to people in the same way.

Jake suddenly appeared, and was greeted with great enthusiasm by Julia, as Robert’s long lost brother. Robert was horrified, and we learnt that he had more or less paid Jake to keep
away. So there was a family secret somehow. All was revealed later of course. Julia provided an alternative solution to the house issue – a craft centre offering residential courses I believe, which was received much more sympathetically by the village residents. Cameron’s moratorium on onshore wind farms meant Jake’s proposal could not be realised.
Be and Fee had become an item. Fee was revealed to be Robert’s daughter by an illicit affair. Affable Julia accepted this, she loved Fee anyway. Fee accepted Robert as her real
father, and Bee and Fee announced they were expecting a baby. So there was lots going on!

Plenty of good performances from this Pranksters team, a good amount of food for thought – I found Julia’s role the most interesting, she was blithe, cheerful, full of good humour (even though she was not in favour of the hotel scheme for her old family home). She quietly provided the alternative scheme, which won through. She was loving and understanding
towards Fee, and quietly accepted the revelation that Fee was the result of Robert’s affair. 

Another interesting production from the Pranksters in the back room of the Star!

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