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Review- A Taste Of Honey

November 18, 2008

Date Reviewed: 18th November, 2008
Venue: The Royal Exchange

star

Premiering in 1958 at the Theatre Royal Stratford East by Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop, A Taste of Honey by 18 year old Shelagh Delaney was a revolution of theatre as it addressed taboo social issues that were absent from other contemporary plays of the time.

Fifty years on and in a more liberal society the play has lost the shock factor it had when it first opened. However, it is sad to note that the themes of loneliness, bigotry, racism, and homophobia still have significant relevance to the age we currently live in.

A cast of five is led by Sally Lindsay as Helen, a somewhat promiscuous and crude woman approaching middle age, whose turbulent relationship with her daughter Jo, played by Jodie McNee is the main focus of the action. When Helen abandons Jo to pursue her latest fancy, Peter (Paul Popplewell), Jo finds solace in the arms of Jimmie (Marcel McCalla), a black sailor who then also abandons her to return to the navy leaving her pregnant and alone.

Stability is found via Jo’s effeminate acquaintance Geoff (Adam Gillen) who moves into her flat and takes on the responsibility of caring for the pregnant teen until Helen returns, once again alone, cruelly removing Geoff from the scene in order to take care of Jo herself.

Lindsay buries any memories of Shelley Unwin from her time on Coronation Street and puts in a stunning performance as Helen, successfully layering her volatile personality and inner turmoil over the life she has led. She is matched perfectly by McNee who plays Jo as a strong willed yet argumentative teenager who is frustrated by her mothers’ casual attitude towards parenting. Popplewell is suitably arrogant and unpleasant as Helen’s new husband Peter and McCalla convinces that Jimmie’s love for Jo might be genuine.

Stealing the show, however, is Gillen as Geoff, the loneliest and yet warmest character of them all. Gillen’s characterisation is outstanding with every look and movement given a meaning and purpose of its own. He imbues his character with such warmth that it is heart breaking when he is unceremoniously dismissed by Helen from his self appointed position of Jo’s carer.

Drector Jo Combes successfully allows the cast to talk directly to the audience and makes effective use of Ben Stones’ superb set, where street scenes are played out on floor level surrounding a raised platform where indoor scenes all take place. Up on the first balcony level a DJ behind a screen provides musical interludes which serve to enhance the atmosphere and reaffirm the importance of the issues the play discusses.

In its anniversary year it is fitting that the play is being given a high profile revival at the Royal Exchange and the production doesn’t disappoint. It’s highly amusing yet deeply sad and the hard working cast are more than deserving of the rapturous applause they were greeted with on the night I attended.

-Malcolm Wallace

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Comments

2 Responses to “Review- A Taste Of Honey”

  1. Ian Parkinson on November 23rd, 2008 9:01 am

    I think the reviewer must have seen another show as the one I was dreadful.
    It was totally overacted and unconvincing, to the point of being painful to watch and not because of the content, just how bad it was being presented. The DJ music and dancing added nothing to the show except making it even longer (over 3 hours 20 mins).

  2. Tony Tickle on December 8th, 2008 9:29 am

    The Review by Wallace is absolutely spot on… Ian Parkinson get with the times… the music perfectly matched the scene setting… overly long? I was surprised that it finished so soon… I was engrossed!

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