Alan Ayckbourn's plays are thought of as being for the middle classes, but 'Absurd Person Singular' appealed to me because it's a play about social-ladder-climbing and those seemingly above others eventually becoming obsequious to those they thought they were higher than. There are no good and bad guys, they are all very believable characters with strong drives and complicated relationships.
'Absurd Person Singular' begins act one, Last Christmas in the home of Sydney Hopcroft, played by Paul Sandys and Jane Hopcroft played by Felicity Houlbrooke, as they are preparing for a Christmas Eve party, their intention to impress important guests the Brewster-Wrights and climb up that all important social ladder.
Sandys and Houlbrooke bring an electric energy to their characters, edging on manic in their intent to be perfect, a little similar to a '70's TV drama, the energy and pacing were great for setting the tone of the play, but didn't tip into absurd comedy territory. At the party we are introduced to Eva Jackson played by Helen Keeley and Geoffrey Jackson played by John Dorney. Eva Jackson is a woman apparently on the edge, Keeley's perfromance was more held together than others I have seen, who have over-played the mental imbalance from the beginning, so Keeley's moment of accidental dumping of a glass into the dustbin did seem more authentic and her shocked reaction believable, leading into a more real and emotive dissent into despair in act two.
Act two brings us to the present, This Christmas at Geoffrey and Eva's kitchen, as Geoffrey explains how he is leaving Eva for another women the day after Christmas and Eva in retaliation attempts several times to take her own life. Dorney and Keeley, made a very believable couple, the connectivity between them as Geoffrey assures Eva that he is going to get help for her, is the character's sole redeeming moment. The scene was well crafted, following Ayckbourn's directions in the script closely, the audience was on the tip of laughing and gasping, watching a woman attempting to end her life, but be thwarted by house guests misinterpreting her actions culminating in an accidental electrocution, another character being doused in filthy greasy water and the entire cast ending the act with a rousing chorus of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas.'
By the third act the characters have transformed from how we were introduced to them in act one. The Hopcroft's are now doing very well for themselves, the Jackson's have become a unit working together and the Brewster-Wright's are revealed to be shadow-like creatures, unhappily existing in their large home. The dramatic climax is Sidney Hopcroft standing on the Brewster-Wright's dining table maniacally screaming at them all to 'dance, dance!' His abuse of power is uncomfortable to watch, but with the slight tinge of catharsis for the self-made man is a conundrum of morals.
A play written and set in the 1970's might have seemed out-dated to a Millennial such as myself, since the men discussing their wives and infidelity was something one would hope was a glimpse into the past, but it is still terribly relevant, #metoo being an unfortunate universal truth that those with power can be tempted to abuse their positions over others and recognising that we still live in a patriarchal run society. 'Absurd Person Singular' is very much relevant and should be studied by students and used for current affairs analysis.
This is the second production by London Classic Theatre I've had the pleasure of reviewing: big well known plays performed by talented actors. LCT seem to have the panache for casting the right actors for the role and energy of the piece, enjoyable theatre that I would recommend to those who enjoy classic works.
Reviewer - Kerry Ely
on - 10/3/20
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