Blackbird
	by David Harrower Directed by Roger Beaumont and Victor Craven
	Tuesday 26th - Saturday 30th June, 2012	The Tower Theatre performing at Theatro Technis

 

Photography by David Sprecher

Review by Alex Wood in Sardines magazine

Una had an affair with Ray about 15 years ago. Una has found an article about Ray (who is now called Peter and runs a successful business) in a magazine and decides to visit him at his workplace finding him tired and harassed at the end of at the end of another busy day.

Ray is now 56; Una is 27. She was 12 when they had their brief affair.

This was a rare outing for Harrower's play, commissioned for the Edinburgh Festival in 2005, with a West End run in 2006 - which led to an Laurence Olivier Best New Play award.

Of course the subject matter is demanding for an audience but the play - a two-handed confrontation/conversation/debate between Una and Ray deals with it in a way that is totally down-to-earth and not at all sensational. It made for a gripping, thought-provoking and yes, at times, uncomfortable, evening. Through two totally believable characters - rather than the strangers we might read about in the local paper's report of such a case - the writer gives us an opportunity to explore their story , then, now and in the years between. In one sense Una and Ray could be talking about an affair between two adults. But Ray went to prison for four years and it is clear that Una's life has been dogged by what happened. That said, Harrower's skill lies in drawing out the ambiguities of the situation for both characters - though Una's often bitter and injured words ensure that the piece is not a justification for paedophilia.

The play's conclusion will come as a shock to some of the audience; but may be exactly what others might have expected.

I was very pleased to see the Tower Theatre company's production of this play.

Ray/Peter was played by Roger Beaumont. His portrayal of a tired and harassed man who has managed to rebuild a life at work and at home after four years in prison who then unexpectedly finds himself confronted by an angry, scornful woman he does not at first recognize was excellent. Totally credible - in spite of what he had done it would have been hard for the audience not to empathise with him.

Jill Ruane also had a huge task to make a truly believable character of Una. Again, she struck just the right balance in a performance that went through a whole gamut of emotions, with an incredibly harrowing description of the event that led to the end of their affair and Ray's conviction. The anger and sorrow underlying her need to confront Ray was overlaid very skillfully with the other emotions Una experiences as the play progresses.

Well done too, Miranda Stocker, making her debut for the Tower Theatre as 'Girl'.

The set - an office/staffroom was very realistic. So much so that it was difficult to imagine that it was not permanent. Windows onto a corridor also reminded us of the outside world, with 'staff' making an occasional appearance.

Commendations to Tower Theatre for their excellent production.

 

Cast Una : Jill Ruane Ray : Roger Beaumont Girl : Scarlett Allen Girl : Miranda Stocker

Production Team Directors : Roger Beaumont and Victor Craven Set Design: Roger Beaumont Costumes : Lynda Twidale Lighting Design : Robin Snowdon Sound Design : Phillip Ley Stage Manager : Dinah Irvine ASMs : Ruth Anthony, Andrew Silverman, Louise Bakker Lighting and Sound Operators : Clare Harding, Ruth Anthony Construction : Michael Bettell, Roger Beaumont and members of the cast & crew

	Jill Ruane joined the Tower in 2007 and since then has been involved in many shows, both on stage and behind the scenes. Her acting credits with the Tower include Mairead in The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Irene in The Dresser, Mary in Dublin Carol, Olwen in Dangerous Corner, Woman in Bash - Medea Redux and Christine in Miss Julie.			Roger Beaumont has been acting and directing professionally and in amateur theatre for over 30 years. For Questor's Theatre, Ealing, he has directed: Design for Living, A Streetcar Named Desire, Closer, Duet for One, Waiting for Godot, Festen, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Humble Boy. For the Tower Theatre : Chapter Two, Aladdin, Neville's Island, Outside Edge, The Gay Detective, Speed-The-Plow, The Birthday Party, A Doll's House and Miss Julie. In February this year he directed Three Sisters for SEDOS. His next show will be Endgame by Samuel Beckett for the Tower at the Bridewell Theatre in November this year.
	Scarlett Allen has performed in numerous school dramas and has trained with both Jubilee School drama club and the Hackney Shed youth drama group. She enjoys singing and is a talented musician (piano and violin). Scarlett performs with the Hackney Training Orchestra. Girl in Blackbird is her first role for the Tower Theatre.			Last year Miranda Stocker was the leading female role, Nancy, in her Primary school production of Oliver, and she is a longterm member of the Hackney Shed drama group. She enjoys singing and is a talented musician (piano and violin). Miranda performs with the Islington Music Centre Choir, the Hackney Training Orchestra as well as the Hackney Borough Youth Orchestra. She has also sung at the Royal Festival Hall and performed with the LSO. Girl in Blackbird is her first role for the Tower Theatre.