Leaves of Glass

Synopsis

Philip Ridley's haunting family drama is set near his home in the East End of London. It is a beautiful and devastating tale about a family dealing with loss. A story of fractured memories, frozen feelings and what lies beneath the fragile veneer we present to those around us and to ourselves.

Our Review:

9 May 2007

Philip Ridley’s new play is a deeply disturbing portrait of a dysfunctional family whose lives are blighted by the rattling of a wardrobe-full of skeletons. Leaves of Glass may not be as shocking as Ridley’s previous work Mercury Fur – in which businessmen butchered schoolkids for fun – or as provocative as his in-yer-face theatre of the Nineties. But its more subtle, ambiguous exposé of the dark side of the human psyche is all the more powerful for leaving unanswered questions in the air.

At the centre of the drama is the relationship between two brothers. Steven appears to have everything going for him: a profitable business (‘Graffiti Busters’) and a stylish home, a first child on the way. Barry’s life, on the other hand, seems to be a complete mess, as an alcoholic with mental-health issues, who can’t hold a job down. However, the dynamic between them changes after Steven has a car crash and becomes haunted by the figure of ...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

Joe Smith - 25 May 2007:

The men are over and the women badly under written. Disapointing,as the acting is great....

Read more and add your own review