My Father's House
Fri, 31 July 2009, 08:08 amGordon the Optom1 post in thread
My Father's House
Fri, 31 July 2009, 08:08 am‘My Father's House’ is an 80-minute play, written by local talent Lis Hoffman, who was the winner of the 2008 Maj Monologues competition. This chronicle started as a feature film script, with the play being built around the deleted scenes. It is an Inkubator presentation (World First), showing at The Blue Room Theatre until the 15th August. All shows 7.00 pm.
Useless layabout, 36 yrs old Clive (Sean Walsh) is still living in the family home with his widowered father (Jay Walsh - good to see our local legend back in full swing and looking well). As in nature, two males in the same nest results in friction, susceptibility and exposure.
Clive’s love life with his long-time partner (Amy McDowall) is, to say the least, shaky.
When Clive’s best mate, Steve’s (Kingsley Judd) dad dies, Clive and his father attend the funeral. Steve’s Mum (Kerry Ella McAullay) appears distraught, and in need of consolation – but by whom?
This play reflects the compelling, multifaceted energy between friends and relations. Director Lis Hoffman has used her Mike Leigh training to get right into the personae of her characters, so that they speak straight from the heart or mind. We experience the affinity and empathy of the relationships. The difficult, and at time dysfunctional, bonds or unions between the characters, even though a state of deep compassion and kinship may be present.
The whole play revolves around superbly observed, emotive environments delivered by a very strong cast. The love scene was extremely sensuous and romantic without being blatant. Congratulations to Razorlily and composer Patrick Giles (winner of numerous WAMIs) for the ethereal mood music, and to Sean Mitton for his atmospheric lighting design.
A simple storyline, but extremely satisfying as a richly observed character study.
‘My Father's House’ is an 80-minute play, written by local talent Lis Hoffman, who was the winner of the 2008 Maj Monologues competition. This chronicle started as a feature film script, with the play being built around the deleted scenes. It is an Inkubator presentation (World First), showing at The Blue Room Theatre until the 15th August. All shows 7.00 pm.
Useless layabout, 36 yrs old Clive (Sean Walsh) is still living in the family home with his widowered father (Jay Walsh - good to see our local legend back in full swing and looking well). As in nature, two males in the same nest results in friction, susceptibility and exposure.
Clive’s love life with his long-time partner (Amy McDowall) is, to say the least, shaky.
When Clive’s best mate, Steve’s (Kingsley Judd) dad dies, Clive and his father attend the funeral. Steve’s Mum (Kerry Ella McAullay) appears distraught, and in need of consolation – but by whom?
This play reflects the compelling, multifaceted energy between friends and relations. Director Lis Hoffman has used her Mike Leigh training to get right into the personae of her characters, so that they speak straight from the heart or mind. We experience the affinity and empathy of the relationships. The difficult, and at time dysfunctional, bonds or unions between the characters, even though a state of deep compassion and kinship may be present.
The whole play revolves around superbly observed, emotive environments delivered by a very strong cast. The love scene was extremely sensuous and romantic without being blatant. Congratulations to Razorlily and composer Patrick Giles (winner of numerous WAMIs) for the ethereal mood music, and to Sean Mitton for his atmospheric lighting design.
A simple storyline, but extremely satisfying as a richly observed character study.