LEAVES OF GLASS REVIEW

HOPE MILL THEATRE, MANCHESTER – UNTIL SATURDAY 8TH JULY 2023

REVIEWED BY ZOE BROWN

4****

Philip Ridley’s powerful play is about ‘how we manipulate our memories of the past to shape the story of our lives’. As Director, Max Harrison, insightfully writes ‘Right now – it feels more relevant than ever’, referencing high-profile names we see in the media pushing ‘their truth’ and ‘recollections may vary’ of truth, in a bid to control the narrative.

Ridley’s ability to encapsulate such universal themes within the life of an everyday East End family leaves you bewildered and emotionally shell shocked. This play covers many difficult subjects matters, with reference to suicide, domestic violence and allusions to child abuse.

Brace yourselves, and if you can stomach the content, this is a production well worth the watch. Bringing into focus, family secrets and the lies we tell ourselves and each other to keep from descending into depression (as matriarch Liz called it a ‘fluey bug thing’ that ‘we never talked about once it was over: What was the point?’) Whilst this content is disturbing it is well worth confronting and exploring as a society. Yes, it’s brutal – however it’s superbly written and performed; a rhythmic piece of drama whose pace and tension builds and builds until a crescendo in the third act with heartbreaking effect.

These are indeed all fine Actors. To carry the weight of this story is no mean feat (a whole 1 hour 45 mins, no interval). Ned Costello as Steven is a powerhouse. His journey into and out of descent was masterful. One to watch in my book. Joseph Potter as his traumatised younger brother Barry was engaging throughout. Katie Buchholz as wife Debbie was strong, dynamic and witty. Kacey Ainsworth as mother Liz, a fine established actor whose experience shone through, finding the perfect balance of powerful demanding matriarch and broken grieving mother.

The minimalist black staging and seamless transitions made this a slick production. However, the seating arrangement left me feeling a tad too exposed. Staged in a hybrid of thrust and raised proscenium seating, it felt strange to be one of those seated stage left and so close to the actors you almost felt you were in the room with them. Ordinarily I love being close, but when the studio lighting encompasses those of us near to the action, you feel very much on display for the rest of the audience. At one point I jumped in my skin as the scarily confident ‘Steven’ stared directly into my soul.

Also, the choice to perform so much of the cellar scene in darkness meant the scene felt too long and we were robbed of the ability to see how the actors were reacting to each other.

Lidless Theatre’s focus on making ‘raw and emotionally impactful theatre through shared human experience’ is indeed vital theatre. Rightfully explored at a pivotal moment in our society’s history.