Show: Mother Of Him
Society: Park Theatre (professional)
Venue: Park 200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London
Credits: by Evan Placey. Produced by Jacob Thomas and Oliver Mackwood Productions in association with Park Theatre
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 24/09/2019
Mother Of Him
Chris Abbott | 25 Sep 2019 12:22pm
First seen at the Courtyard in 2010, the new production of Mother of Him at the Park Theatre is played out on a monochrome set which serves to focus on the characters rather than the context. A strong cast is led by a bravura portrayal from Tracy-Ann Oberman as the mother whose world has collapsed without warning after her older son is accused of rape. It’s a detailed performance showing how her retreat into her work as a town planner is increasingly ineffective as a counterpoint to the implosion of her family and the chaos of press attention outside her home.
As the uncomprehending younger son Jason, Matt Goldberg (sharing the part with Hari Aggarwal) is remarkably good, with his constant switching from important issues to trivial ones, true to form for the eight year old he is portraying. Evan Placey’s script makes him a believable character but is less successful when portraying the older accused son, Matthew or the other minor characters. Despite the considerable efforts of Scott Folan, who gives a gentle and angst-riven portrayal, we are unable to understand why Matthew has done what he is accused of. Perhaps that is the author’s intention so that the audience are in the same uncomprehending position as the boy’s mother, but this lack of explanation and motivation would create difficulties for any actor playing the part.
The other main role is that of family friend and lawyer Robert, a solid and authoritative performance from Dale Rapley, who is also called upon with many of the other actors to constantly rearrange the grey rostra that create the many different settings. Inventive as these rostra are, the constant rearranging during bursts of radio commentary on the case become distracting, so that we are more likely to watch the furniture moving than to listen to the news items.
Bursts of white outlining of areas of the set echo the press camera flashes outside, building to a crescendo at the not totally believable act one ending. Not an unalloyed success then as a play, but intelligently and truthfully performed and always gripping to watch, this is another fine production at the ever-reliable Park Theatre.
- : admin
- : 24/09/2019