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Show: Evelyn
Society: Southwark Playhouse
Venue: Southwark Playhouse. 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Credits: By Tom Ratcliffe. Produced by WILDCARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH MERCURY THEATRE
Type: Sardines
Author: Caroline Jenner
Performance Date: 27/06/2022
Evelyn
Caroline Jenner | 08 Jul 2022 22:36pm
Photo: Greg Goodale
Tom Ratcliffe’s thought-provoking new play Evelyn opened this week at Southwark Playhouse having already been shortlisted for the 2016 intake of the Old Vic 12 then reaching the longlist of 27 plays for the 2017 Verity Bargate Award as well as being longlisted for the Papatango New Writing Prize and the Theatre503 playwriting Award. This long list of credentials is a worthy one as Evelyn tackles powerful issue such as mob-justice in Britain today and the perils of an uncontrolled social media that can place innocent, vulnerable people in danger at the uploading of a post.
Ratcliffe opens his play with the archetypal, controversial characters of Punch and Judy, who although often presented as comical seaside entertainment, in fact feature a violent husband who beats his wife, abuses his child and receives his comeuppance from a wily crocodile. These three characters pop up at regular intervals, but begin by introducing the story of Evelyn Mills, who has spent time in prison for giving her husband a false alibi after he murdered a child. Released and given a new name Evelyn has disappeared at the same time as Sandra has appeared in the small seaside town of Walton.
One of the strengths of this production is the excellent relationships that are shown between pairs of characters. Jeanne (Rula Lenska), an aging dementia sufferer, takes in Sandra (Nicola Harrison) despite the fact that this might lead to her being evicted from her assisted living accommodation. Lenska’s presentation of the lonely pensioner is exceptional, with her ability to switch from foul mouthed aggression to pleading longing, leaving the audience laughing whilst also feeling heartbroken for the woman who has clearly suffered much during her life and is looking for a replacement for her absent daughter, Harriet. We are shown Sandra’s attempts to leave, this was not what she wanted. She returns items she has been trying on from Jeanne’s bedroom, a ring and a kimono and she shows concern for the elderly lady whose feisty strength seems to dwindle. She is not presented as a threat and as Sandra says at the end, she is looking for a friend, and this is what she found in Jeanne. However, Ratcliffe incorporates moments where we reconsider our view of Sandra, listen to the angry accusations of the nurse who cares for Jeanne and begin to question ourselves what exactly Sandra has gained from the relationship. From the outset we are never sure if this is Evelyn Mills and much of this dilemma lies in Harrison’s incredibly expressive facial mobility, that leaves the audience intrigued.
But the world cannot leave them alone and we also have the pairing of Yvette Boakye and Offue Okegbe as brother and sister Laura and Kevin. Kevin is an electrician, his sister a nurse, both of them, like Jeanne and Sandra, have suffered from failed relationships. Laura’s accusatory anger at her brother for his friendship with Sandra and at her ex, with his cavalier attitude to their daughter, is visceral. Disappointingly, Kevin’s character does not seem to ring so true. Whereas his performance as Mr Punch leaves the audience feeling suitably threatened by the unprovoked violence he shows to those around him, as Kevin he is often given short sentences and little conversation leaving his character to appear slightly uncomfortable. This does not reflect in the strength of personality he shows later in the play, where he finally comes into his own and speaks out against the witch hunt of the local community Facebook group.
The eerie soundscape provided by Michael Crean takes us from Buddy Holly to Phil Collins and adds an otherworldly, surreal edge to a piece of theatre that leaves the audience wondering how they might react under similar circumstances and encourages us to question our values and response to the social media that constantly bombards us.
Evelyn plays at Southwark Playhouse until 16 July