Hope –
Royal Court
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“Worthy
but dull” was Amanda’s immediate view as we left the Royal Court
theatre last week. Reluctantly I had to agree. The thing is, I have been
complaining loudly that the arts – drama, literature, film, even TV –
seem to have failed to provide a critique to the austerity regime. Back in
the 80s the entire arts scene, across music, theatre, TV, literature, reacted
to the fractures on society served up by Thatcher’s governments with some
exceptional work. This time round? J K Rowling aside, you would hardly know
we were living in such difficult times. So I was keen
to see Jack Thorne’s Hope despite its mixed reviews.
The play centres on a Labour council as it struggles to impose Coalition
imposed cuts on its local community. Whatever savings council leader Hilary comes
up with, there is a reason to oppose. Is it best to cut Sue Start funding or
support for the learning disabled? The library or street lighting? Does the
successful Twitter campaign count for more than more silent disagreement. Mark
(Paul Higgins) is the flawed deputy leader who angsts over the problem, vacillating
in whether to support his leader and push through the cuts, or join his
younger colleagues who want to refuse to set a budget. This is marginally complicated
by his affair with Julie (Sharon Duncan-Brewster), his ex-wife Gina
(Christine Entwisle) being one of the targets for the cuts, his
non-relationship with son Jake (Tommy Knight) and his failure to kick the
bottle. Old Labour is represented by one of my favourite actors, Tom
Georgeson who plays Gina’s father, the leader of the council in a
previous era. There is some
politics, there is some plot, there are some jokes. Sadly the drama never
really takes off. Mark & Julie’s relationship never seems remotely
plusable, Hilary’s feet of clay never really mattes to anyone and it is
not clear who cares that they refuse to set a budget. Georgeson’s voice
of old Labour got barely suppressed cheers from the Royal Court’s
champagne socialists while Jake’s over-clever schoolboy banter was the
most satisfying dialogue. So yes this is
what I have been asking for, a play about the cuts, set in un-sexy,
unfashionable local government and making an articulate case against the
government. But with little drama and unbelievable relationships and
absolutely no tension I’m afraid it really was very worthy but rather
dull. |
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Blog #21 |
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you would like to comment on any of these Blog pieces please email me on: bjc@briancreese.co.uk