Reviews

After Mary Rose

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3 May 2009

After Mary Rose is a harrowing and emotional journey. To start we see a soldier called Harry, speaking to his psychiatrist. Harry introduces the characters, taking us from his life to more recent times, to the Morland family, their dark past story and back again.

The Morland family’s story is based around their daughter, Mary Rose (Nalini Chetty). As child, the family were on holiday in the Outer Hebrides when she disappeared for several days. Mary Rose does not know that this happened, they don’t know what took place, so the family decides to accept it and move on. It is only when their daughter gets engaged to Simon Blake (Grant O’Rourke) that the family has to come to terms with this issue, and deal with the consequences.

The director Nicholas Bone, has succeeded in creating intriguing theatre from a complex plot. Scott Hoatson expertly depicts the soldier who is tortured and haunted by his past, and Cameron his doctor (Stanley Pattison) is captivating not only because of his strong accent. The set adapts easily from the lounge of the family’s house, to an island in the Hebrides and back again. Attention to detail and care has been taken so that even the fake tree is safe enough for the actors to climb.

After Mary Rose draws the audience in: as Harry explains his issues to the psychiatrist it is hard to resist jumping up and hugging him. Dry eyes are scarce by the end of the 75 minute performance. Highly recommended.

– Maria Robertson