Writer: Lucie Lovatt
Director: Chelsey Gillard
A gripping dark comedy which treats the audience to some home truths, as we dive beneath the calm waters of a sleepy Welsh seaside town, to unravel a host of compelling revelations and mysteries, in this unmissable extraordinary piece of new drama.
Writer Lucie Lovatt masterly weaves together what first appears as the ordinary into the disorderly, with a sprinkling of the paranormal. Exploring the notion of belonging, and how the attachment formed between an individual, their home, and the wider social and political landscape can either make or break a community. The brilliance of the writing is central and solid, in that it demands full attention, a satisfying evening of storytelling at its finest.
The opening line ‘To begin at the beginning’ a direct nod to Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, hints at a similar arc, revealing the secrets and dreams of local Welsh folk buried within the remote idyllic villages and towns nestled along the Welsh coastal line.
Lovatt’s first full-length play is based around the concept of the second home crisis and the dilemma faced by those whose roots are so firmly planted, yet face the loss of their identity and community as ‘tourists’ buy up second home properties. Wanting to leave yet emotionally tied to their home, which has been passed through the ages, having hosted multiple generations of the same family, their past trials and tribulations, and secrets absorbed by the walls.
Caryl (Victoria John) and her husband Meirion (Dafydd Emyr) are the last two ‘real residents’ in a fishing village in Pembrokeshire. Feeling trapped within their loveless marriage, run down by life, feelings of isolation creep in as their familiar village surroundings fade as it falls victim to the second home trend. Outsiders and city dwellers, including Max (Gus Gordon), taking over with his bright clothes, quick talking and clumsy attempts of the Welsh language, snap up properties for a taste of solace by the sea. These ‘tourists’ annoy Caryl who tries to persuade her resistant husband to up roots and move.
When local estate agent Gareth (Jamie Redford) urges Caryl to sell as soon as possible due to some pending legislation affecting the sales of second homes, the pressure of the decision drives Meirion to reveal some damning, and sinister home truths which are brutal enough to stop any sale dead in its tracks.
John and Emyr both deliver excellent performances successfully revealing the hidden complexities of these two characters as the story develops. Moving within spectrums of deadpan laugh-out-loud humour, to displays of anger, fear, and tender moments with daughter Seren (Catrin Stewart), creating an emotional sting to the eyes.
Integral to this story is the physical home, and designer Elin Steele’s naturalistic setting presents the downstairs of a well-lived-in old house, weathered and worn in places, the passing of time evidenced by the piles of coats hanging up and a sideboard full of the build-up of items which can only be created over the course of a life. This realism is encased within the abstract colours which adorn the proscenium arch, suggesting its coastal surroundings. Tic Ashfield’s marvellous sound design subtly captures the ever-impending doom perfectly.
A captivating production successfully sealed together under the direction of Chelsey Gillard, provides an evening of well-paced, and entertaining drama.
Runs until 20th April 2024.
The Reviews Hub Score
Compelling Dark Comedy
