Old Money

Synopsis

For 30 years Joyce has done her domestic duty - played the part her husband, mother, father and daughter thought appropriate. Now she is free - and as realisation dawns a chance meeting with a stripper opens her eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 6 December 2012

Looking like a severe Gwen John portrait, Maureen Lipman as tart, 60-ish Joyce stands tight-lipped and beady-eyed through the opening funeral scene of Sarah Wooley’s lacklustre comedy before declaring her hand as a wannabe merry widow.

The mad thing buys a smart red coat and goes off to the opera. The ties that bind are loosened, which means dealing with a domineering mother, Pearl (Helen Ryan), and a 42 year-old daughter, Fiona (Tracy-Ann Oberman), who is expecting a third child.

Maybe the play should be re-titled "Old Mummy", but the fiscal element refers to the inheritance of the house as the banks implode - the year is, oddly, 2008, with Gordon Brown still staring at old grandma gloomily from the news pages - and middle-aged married couples are feeling the squeeze in the jobs and housing markets.

Fiona's hubby Graham (Timothy Watson) is a bit of a wash-out anyway, so Fi's hopes of moving up the housing ladder and leaving the maisone...

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Latest User Review

Paul Wallis - 12 January 2013:

Interesting premise but poorly conceived. The writing is weak giving the actors little to work with. A very disappointing evening....

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