Saturday, 16 February, 2008.
In The Sea I found an unusual pearl of a play. Written by Edward Bond, author of the 1960s Royal Court play Saved that caused so much controversy, The Sea is a tragicomedy richly layered in its writing and enhanced by grand performances.
Set on a coastal town in East Anglia, Mrs. Rafi (a snippy Dame Eileen Atkins) rules the town and its social scene, pitted against Hatch (David Haig) and his cronies, who believe aliens are taking over the town after a minor shipwreck leaves one of the town's sailors dead on the shores. The intrigue that follows, including a romance sparked between Rafi's niece Rose, formerly betrothed to the sailor, and his surviving friend Willy, is awash in mystery and philosophical musing. Interludes with Evens, a hermit living on the shoals, are full of rich dialogue. And David Burke as Evens is spot-on in his drunken earnestness.
It sounds like a weird premise for a play, but the quick pace of things combined with game performances makes things seem almost plausible. Plus, of course, plausibility isn't Bond's foremost aim.
Excellent projected waves keep the scenes hurtling into one another, the shoreline coasting forward and back allowing for smooth transitions between interiors and sparse outdoors scenes.
Beneath the existential ruin of this little-known 1973 play, there's also a sparkling wit, and this cast does well to bring it out while keeping the seriousness that Bond intended. All in all, a spot-on production recommended to all with a love of serious drama.
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