| A slight but resonant play |
At Hijinx Theatre |
| Hijinx Theatre- The Other Woman , Denbigh Town Hall, on tour , October 30, 2008 |
Newly married Megan and Rhys are trying to make a go of a small hill farm in South Wales. But it’s 1914 and the men are going off to war, Rhys included. He leaves Megan, pregnant and with a broken plough, to cope as best she can.Enter Bill, a conscientious objector on the run from enforced military duty. He’s not exactly practical but he is another hand and he proves to be, sort of, useful with the baby. Even the fact that he soon has to “become” Megan’s sister from Cardiff doesn’t throw things too much; indeed “she” seems to become a better baby minder. But then a wounded, traumatized Rhys returns, a new man and not for the better. Hijinx’s revival of Paul Swift’s three-hander reveals a play which is pretty predictable in all its shifts of circumstances and plot but one which still packs an emotional punch. It’s also one that’s ideal for touring to smaller performance spaces and the full house in Denbigh Town Hall (another Night Out initiative) were clearly caught up in it all. Charlotte Neville’s rough and ready set caught perfectly the isolation and claustrophobia of a small hill farm. It had various levels and Louise Osborn’s direction used these well to allow her cast vertical as well as horizontal movement. The actors were excellent, taking their characters on an emotional roller coaster ride. Dean Rehman gives the pre-war Rhys such a rugged charm that the embittered loner who returns is a genuine shock. He’s also excellent as Rhys’ young brother and his P.C. Roberts would be more powerful if the uniform had been more convincing. Lizzie Rogan makes you feel the hardships Megan faces as well as the love she has for both men. She is the play’s emotional heart and hers is a big heartbeat. Stephen Hickman is superb as Bill, edgily menacing when on the run but quietly sympathetic when settling in to the daily routines. His metamorphosis into a woman is beautifully handled and his gradual taking on the role of a sister perfectly judged. When the inevitable disaster arrives it still manages to have a stunning impact. The Other Woman may be a slight play but it resonates and this is a production that does it proud. |
Reviewed by: Victor Hallett |
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