More a radio play I think and so unusual for an American writer as they don't have the equivalent of a Radio 4 in the USA. Never the less it gave Clare Higgins, the wonderful Clare Higgins, an opportunity to totally dominate the stage and make 90 minutes fly by, or was that me snoring behind Catherine, of course not I stayed awake because of her artistry. She really could make the telephone directory sound interesting. I found the writing somewhat self-indulgent and circular as has been pointed out here. I read in the program/script that it was first performed in an apartment on 57th ST - yes, I could just imagine that! No doubt it had the desired effect the author wanted and made the middle class, middle brow(?) RC audience feel guilty about their lot - but perhaps not for the few, fleeting, moments that it probably did! Anyway, great to see Ms Higgins do her trade mark bounce at the curtain call - not only does she give us that big beaming smile, but she skips around the stage too! I remember her in Hecuba at the Donmar a while back, after that performance she bounced onto the stage smiling and giggling and skipping like a teenager - what a STAR! - rds
28 Apr 09
More of a download than a monologue, which gives it realism but at the expense of losing your attention too often. Clair Higgins 90 minute tour de force is the main reason for going to see it; yet another masterclass in acting from one of Britain's very best.....and Dame in Waiting......with her trademark beaming smile at the curtain call. - Gareth James
This was a rambling, self indulgent, overly long monolgue! The ideas, the message and the conclusions of the play are unquestionably important, but the argument is circular and this play just went round and round the same issue for 1.5 hrs without any real conclusion.
The man behind me fell asleep and started snoring and both I and the friends I attended with agreed it needed some severe editing.
Also don't go if you want to come out feeling good about your life! - Catherine O'Donnell
