Stockport is
seven miles from Manchester city centre but in cultural terms it might as well
be several hundred. It sadly lacks a venue such as a 53two to showcase new
writing and emerging theatrical talent. This however is changing with Stockport-based Viaduct Theatre Company, whose mission inspired by the burgeoning
independent scene in Manchester is to present professional pop-up theatre in unusual
settings and long may this continue.
As part of
the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, Viaduct return to Stockport’s Hat Works
Museum with their second production, China
Plates and Pearl Earrings, a family drama about bereavement and sibling
rivalry, written and directed by Jade Jones. Following the death of their last surviving
parent, Julia, Nicola and Bryan, meet in the living room of their family home.
Sorting through their parents’ belongings and their own childhood memories they
make a startling discovery about their home that will have a profound effect on
the rest of their lives. Set in the past and the present, Jones’ absorbing and
intriguing play explores a variety of universal themes including parenthood,
family ties and unconditional love.
Encouraged as
children to follow their dreams, each has reached a moment of crisis which is further
exasperated by their parents deaths. Rather like the hit TV series, This Is Us, Jones cleverly plays with
time and perspective showing in flashback, Julia, Nicola and Bryan’s parents,
Freddie and Linda as newlyweds moving into their new home and talking about
starting a family whilst in the present their grieving children squabble over
possessions and continue to argue over long held sibling rivalries. This
provides strong moments of dramatic irony which as the play progresses
gradually makes for unsettling and uncomfortable viewing as Freddie and Linda’s
ambitions for their children begin to crash and burn. That their parents house
ultimately has to be demolished because of subsidence is a powerful metaphor of
the fault-lines evident in the siblings relationships with themselves and those
that they profess to love.
A strong cast
headed by Claire Haynes as Julia, Lorna Newman as Nicola and Paul Fraser-Smith
as Brain deliver compelling and powerful performances. Haynes, Newman and
Fraser-Smith are completely believable as the embittered, quarrelling siblings.
Newman, making her theatrical debut, is particularly impressive as the tortured,
guilt ridden youngest sibling. The scenes with Freddie and Linda, beautifully
played by Tom Coffey and Emma Young are exquisite and beautifully observed.
Young especially is a delight to watch and her march to womanhood and feminism
is a joy to behold.
Jones directs
her own play with a firm and sensitive hand and is brilliantly served by John
Harrison’s atmospheric score played live on solo guitar and Richard Lomax’s
textured lighting which is impressively achieved with a small number of
spotlights rigged on only just four lighting bars. Viaduct Theatre is a welcome
addition to fringe theatre in Greater Manchester and the Company deserve as
much support as they can get. If this excellent production is anything to go by
Viaduct will quickly become one of the leading players on the Fringe and for
this to be happening in Stockport is surely something that local audiences and
theatre makers alike should celebrate and firmly get behind.
China
Plates and Pearl Earrings is at The Hat Museum, Stockport until July 21st.
Reviewer - Richard Hall
on - 20/7/18
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