At the Sherman |
| Sherman Cymru/Bristol Old Vic- Before It Rains , Sherman Theatre, Cardiff , September 26, 2012 |
Author Katherine Chandler tells us that her family was from a typical 1950s council estate and so was mine. Whilst I am sure there are many such places today where people hold the same values but sadly there are many that don’t though the basic good that is in human nature often will emerge. She also tells us that the play is essentially a story of a mother’s love. Gloria, the mother as played so wonderfully by Lisa Palfrey gives us much more that that.It’s a sad story, well told and finely and excitingly acted by the cast. “Gloria is a single mum who enjoys sitting in her deckchair drinking her troubles away on her allotment while her son Michael digs the soil and makes sure everything is in order.” Or does he? We first meet Michael, a gem of a performance from Craig Gazey, like Palfrey he brings an edge to his character that lifts the play out of the sad and mundane circumstances it eventually reveals. In contrast to her blousy comedy he gives us a young character, a little simple, with high-functioning Asperger syndrome, but he has an amusing nature that brings much gentle laughter. We first see Michael high up in the woods. The floor of the stage is dark at this point but soon reveals itself to be an enormous pile of top soil which Michael often digs with vigour. Alyson Cummins has produced a very atmospheric set with subtle lighting by Paul Keegan and a haunting soundscape from Simon Slater. Michael pauses in the woods; from the way he eats his sandwich the actor cleverly reveals a lot of his character to us. His nemesis Carl, well acted by Harry Ferrier, soon appears with his menacing bouncing ball. We meet mother and son on their allotment, she drinks and sings and totters about, he digs and chatters about the clouds and yellow roses, there are some on an adjoining plot, mother and son agree they are shit. They are going to have something much better once sand or heavy grit that Michael appears to have expert knowledge of is purchased. Whenever Gloria makes a hurtful remark Michael digs furiously. Michael catches up with his ‘friend’ Carl, from a relocated troubled home. He has a tough, almost a romantic streak; he demonstrates his martial art ability to Michael. He’s an edgy lad quick to bad temper. He promises to take Michael to the woods to trap squirrels. He has to get back to ‘our kid’, his troubled younger brother. The next time they meet things don’t go so well. Michael desperately needs his mother’s attention. She comforts him back on the allotment, they plant red roses, before it rains. |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
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