It is the end of WWI. Returned soldiers are trying to cope with trauma and loss. Jobs are scarce and times are getting desperate for families left without breadwinners. There is no time for slow healing – bread must be put on the table and memories of war squashed down. Whole families are reliant on this. As for those who couldn’t fight there are also pressures and shames which must be addressed.
The play opens with a radio play of Shakespeare’s greatest villain Richard III wafting across a somewhat dark and stifling room. A rotund and shabbily dressed man stands listening – the calm before the storm. From his opening remarks and the stage setting we learn that he is perhaps something of an eccentric artist. He ignores some knocking at the door, but soon a younger man arrives in an ill-fitting suit (both physical and metaphorical – his father’s!). We learn he is here for a job with this local famed artist. His mother has submitted a portfolio of sketches and he is keen to work and learn.
What follows are two riveting performances exposing appalling powerplays, manipulations, vulnerabilities and finally survival. Phillip Stokes’ script is masterfully layered and structured and keeps us guessing throughout. The older artist Mr Lupine is clearly fond of a drink so is this just a caricature or something more sinister? Is he trying to seduce Wesley or simply manipulate him? I found myself almost wincing in places and then the action would shift and there would be a droll comment or an easing of tension – all done with great finesse. Lee Bainbridge playing Mr Lupine superbly milks all the creepy, bullying nuances from the script that he can, without ever over-acting. His tone when speaking to Wesley is full of condescension and menace, and he flips from wheedling to a cutting pounce with lethal precision.
Jack Stokes as the young returned soldier Wesley is equally impressive. Stokes’ facial expressions as he tiptoes through his torturous interview are subtle but beautifully expressive. His delight at getting paid and having money in his pocket to support his mother and sisters is a memorable example. He gives the impression of being a bit innocent, but as things develop it becomes clear that he is suppressing some very dark and disturbing memories.
Two damaged souls, a compelling game of cat and mouse and one survivor. Come and see who wins in this sharply written and superbly acted play. You may squirm but you won’t regret it. This is a play worth seeing for yourself.