Review – Closer by Patrick Marber
Review by Andreea Helen David.
Yes, Closer by Patrick Marber it’s still very relevant, it wasn’t just a product of its time and I suppose it’ll remain so, while humans exist. Especially when they are portrayed in the way Putney Arts Theatre and Jeff Graves have.
A little reminder/ introduction. Closer is a play about 4 individiuals, Alice, Anna, Dan and Larry that manage to mess things up in their (interchangable ) coupleling.A play about sex, jealousy, possessive love …Patrick Marber reminds us of all the worst human qualities but then there is also love and camaraderie, so all is not lost.
It starts with Alice and Dan in hospital, after Alice has been injured. This is a charming introduction in their, what’s going to become, long tumultuous relationship. There is great chemistry between Grace Cullen and Tim Duthrane. Grace’s Alice is a young part-time stripper, she is sexy and spunky, a whirlwind, in a fantastic opposition to Tim’s Dan, calculated, shy and aware of his own shortcomings.
On the other side we find the sophisticated Anna, a photographer that seems drawn to the sadness of the world, probably trying to escape her own. Anna is the first one to meddle in the already fragile relationship of Alice and Dan ( “Why is the love not enough?”). Anna is played with elegance and verve by Olivia Iordache ( Nita). You never quite know what she’s thinking. Equally opposed to the outspoken dermatologist Larry that seems to be the voice of the writer, played with great transparency and realism by Jerome Joseph Kennedy.Things get complicated because we have 4 lust driven individuals that cheat and deceive each other (“Lies are the currency of the world”), a perfect mis-en-scene for a great analysis of the human failure to keep healthy relationships.
The lines are like daggers, obscene at times and always filled with truth, the delivery perfect. And humour is always around the corner. What a play!
I loved the set design by Zoe Dobell, a very smart and sophisticated way of presenting a very modern and relevant world for our characters. The direction by Jeff Graves is relaxed and not at all patronising letting the words and actions lead the way through the perfect vessels of the 4 leads.
19th – 23rd February 2019 @ 7.45pm