Earthquakes In London, Theatre Royal, Bath
Mike Bartlett’s epic play delivers its message on political and corporate greed and the overall and far reaching effects this has on the world in a fast and frenetic stream of interconnected events. The story revolves around a predicted earthquake in London due to climatic change brought about by years of pollution and ill use of the world’s resources and one family’s part in it.
Beginning with the father, Robert, played as a young man by Joseph Thompson and Paul Shelley in middle age, a bit off a latter day geek he predicts doom for the world if it continues air travel expansion but sells his soul to the devil and accepts money from a large airline company to amend his papers to report the reverse. He lives unhappily ever after, is alienated from his three daughters, ?ber successful career woman Sarah, a Liberal Democrat Minister for the Environment, Freya, who is heavily pregnant and suffers from depression and Jasmine a rackety university student definitely more interested in partying than studying.
The action covers a period of thirty years or so and Miriam Buether’s revolving set helps make the pace as each vignette passes before you, another thread in the story. Amongst the doom and gloom there is plenty of humour, Colin the jobless husband of Sarah goes on line ostensibly to search for work but logs on instead to the "student party" site, Jasmine is doing a bit of exotic dancing coupled with green protest to fund her university course; Lucy Phelps as Jasmine is marvellous, she has the troublesome and bolshie teenager act to a tee, and as an added extra is a very good exotic dancer!
Leah Whitaker as Freya, soul searchingly depressed and suicidal about bringing a baby into an apparently futureless world hides in her flat, only to be stalked by Peter, a fourteen year old former pupil who has myriad problems of his own. Peter is played by Helen Cripps; this is a peach of a part and Helen Cripps’s expertise certainly makes him a scene stealer.
Tracy-Ann Oberman makes us love to hate the overbearing Sarah and glory in her downfall when drippy Colin (the excellent Seán Gleeson) finally gets the courage to ask for a divorce. Paul Shelley turns in a great performance as the older disillusioned and grumpy old man Robert, and Kurt Egyiawan brings true passion to Tom, the zealous protestor who resorts to blackmail to get himself heard.
Despite its serious theme the play is sparky and different, if perhaps a tad too long, the first half is gripping but in the second half it falls away a little having said all there is to say on the subject. But we enjoyed it very much and would certainly recommend it as both interesting and entertaining.
Jacquie Vowles
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