Where's Peen been?
Duke of York's Theatre, London
Was Peen keen?
*****
Somewhere, in a parallel universe, this
play hasn’t been written and performed and a whole load of people are missing
out on something spectacular. Thankfully, in this universe, it’s now in its
second run (after its first at the Royal Court earlier this year) and continues
to receive loud cheers and rapturous applause. We’re definitely the lucky ones.
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| Photo: Johan Persson |
We follow the life of Roland (Rafe Spall),
a beekeeper and Marianne (Sally Hawkins), a lecturer at a university as they
meet and fall in love in something that is anything but a linear plot. It all begins at a barbecue, which leads to
an affair and hints of neurological disease, all set below a stunning array of
white balloons on a simple raised square designed by Tom Scutt. Every situation
that we see is different and in the end, is completely touching, beautiful and
almost unexpected.
 |
| Photo: Johan Persson |
The design is expertly integrated to the
nature of the play, which flows perfectly; it aids our following of the story
in this otherwise quite rightfully complicated maze of life and love. Not only
that, but it’s beautiful to look at too. From the moment that they enter, Spall
and Hawkins do nothing short of a perfect job at keeping us hooked, laughing
and sobbing for the very brief but fulfilled seventy minutes that they delight
us with their charisma.
As actors, in this production, they are
virtually faultless; the challenge that Nick Payne presents to them with this
play that he penned so well is certainly not a chilled out butty at a barbecue
and had it not been given the justice that it deserves, wouldn’t be forgiving
either. Michael Longhurst’s production is second to none and shows us that time
does fly – and will continue to fly even without us here – when you’re having
fun.
This production runs until 5 January 2013.
For more information: http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/constellations-west-end
@ConstelThePlay
1 comment:
I feel that, like a dynamo, PaperDolls were storing up ideas and energies in Belfast, only for this energy to be unleashed in and onto Dublin.
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