Writer: Keith Huff
Director: Liam Alexandru
The Old Joint Stock had a choice with their Halloween productions this year. They could spook the audience
into submission with graphic stories about monsters and demons, or engage us in a dark, compelling piece of theatre which is tough to watch for all of the right reasons. As director Liam Alexandru says “there’s almost a real horror here that is inescapable”
The only demons in this play are inside the characters’ heads. Denny (Steven Rostance) and Joey (Graham MacDonnell) are like family. Best friends since they were playing cops and robbers in kindergarten, the two Chicago natives are now playing good cop/bad cop for real, and it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The two have a love-hate relationship; that’s nothing out of the ordinary for two middle-aged men who have spent most of their time growing up together. However, events will soon take a dark turn when a routine shift on the beat gets personal leaving family lives and careers at stake. What follows is a captivating story that unravels themes of loyalty, trust and justice, which raises questions about what you would do to protect yourself and those closest to you.
A Steady Rain was born out of Chicago in 2007, before making its Broadway debut in 2009 with household names Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in the leading roles. The play itself is a gripping duologue that tells the tale of what happened to Denny and Joey in vivid, graphic detail. The story starts slowly and is initially difficult to engage with as the foundations of the play are built, but once it warms up it is captivating. Every twist and turn is suspenseful as the two express their thought processes behind every decision and action.
Rostance and MacDonnell complement each other well in their roles. Denny is clearly troubled from the start but is able to offer some lighter moments to get a taste of his personality behind the tough exterior. Joey is more level-headed and does his best to keep Denny in check throughout the whole play. The steely aggressiveness in Denny’s character comes naturally to Rostance making his parts of the duologue exceptionally raw and powerful. MacDonnell is equally strong in his presentation of the softer, friendlier Joey, and it is perhaps interesting to witness the questionable decision-making of a character who initially appears more in control. The journey that they both go on is encapsulated by the heart-breaking moments at the end of the play when friendship and loyalty are tested to the extreme.
The presentation in the small-scale theatre at the Old Joint Stock adds to the intimate and personal connection to Denny and Joey’s duologue. The set is minimalistic, reflecting the dark and gloomy police station. There is creativity with the sound effects and lighting to make it dark and atmospheric, while also helping to pace the story by breaking it down into a more episodic structure when the lights go out.
Dark crime thrillers like this are usually enjoyed on Netflix in 2024 but when a story is presented on stage in such a way that allows the audience to feel every raw and agonising emotion, it serves as a reminder that no form of entertainment is more powerful than the theatre.
Runs until 19 October 2024
The Reviews Hub Score
Engrossing
