Mr Jones - Review

Finborough Theatre, London

*****

Written by Liam Holmes

Directed by Michael Neri

Mabli Gwynne and Liam Holmes

Stephen Jones (played by Liam Holmes) is a young lad from Aberfan in south Wales. A gifted rugby player, he’s the ‘King of the Village’ have just propelled the team into the cup-final. Angharad Price (Mabli Gwynne) is his teenage sweetheart and a young nurse. Stephen lives with his widowered father and his little brother David who’s a pupil at the village primary school.

But this is 1966 when on Friday 21st October a waterlogged, mountainous tip of spoil slid down the hillside and devastated Aberfan. 116 children at the primary school perished in the disaster, together with 28 adults - and the tight, tiny village community was shattered.

In an astonishing piece of theatre, Holmes has penned the most remarkably intimate portrayal of Welsh village life alongside the unimaginable grief of the Aberfan disaster. His play is a simply staged two-hander that spends its first 30 minutes building the characters. The craft in Holmes’s writing is exquisite, with hints of Dylan Thomas in his affectionately mocking descriptions of the village characters. But that half-hour is time well spent, for it allows the audience to have deeply invested in the villagers. When the tip collapses and 150,000 tons of slurry descend on Aberfan - all we hear is a growing, growling, horrendous rumble - the look of disbelieving horror on the two actors’ faces is almost unbearable to observe.

Holmes the writer shifts his times and locations around the later weeks of 1966 as Angharad and Stephen try to come to terms with the impact of the disaster. Holmes the actor, together with Gwynne are a masterful pair. He in dealing with the loss of the younger brother who idolised him, and her in having to have coped with the trauma of receiving the bodies of the dead children at the hospital. 

It is rare to see new writing of such stellar quality. The two characters navigating their grief makes for harrowing and heart-breaking drama. Simple narratives, combined with outstanding acting. Theatre does not get better than this.

Runs until 22nd November

Photo credit:  Ali Wright

Songs For A New World - Review

Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London

****

Music & lyrics by Jason Robert Brown 

Directed by Kai Wright 

The cast of Songs For A New World

While Songs For A New World has only ever enjoyed seemingly fleeting appearances in a variety of theatres in and around London's West End, it is very much a familiar piece to many as Jason Robert Brown's 1995 song cycle provides moments both of easy listening as well as some hard-hitting numbers. 

From the opening iconic motif on the piano, the stage is set in a lounge-like menagerie of ornaments and antiques, with lampshades hanging across the ceiling. Sophie Goodman's design is both simple yet effective and remains the base throughout. 

Being a four hander there is a huge demand on the cast and the chemistry between the four is tangible. Stand alone numbers such as ‘Christmas Lullaby’ in Act 2 could be so easily overlooked and feel out of place but Lizzy Parker as Woman 1 brings ample heart and emotion to the role and the score. Luke Walsh as Man 1 displays huge vocal range and dexterity making numbers such as ‘King of The World’ & ‘Flying Home’ look effortless and easy. 

Glenn Oxenbury's sound design is outstanding with musical director Liam Holmes delivering fine work from his tightly rehearsed and well balanced 6-piece band.

For a pleasant night of music and soaring vocals Songs For A New World is a fitting escape from the real world and a welcome night at the theatre. Besides in this day and age, to lose yourself in a new world for 90 minutes might not be such a bad idea.

Runs until 3rd March