Writer: Gerry Linford
Director: Emma Bird
It’s 1987, Kirby, Mobile hairdresser Julie (Ellie Clayton) brings home a student Tim (Jack Whittle) after a night out – hoping for a night of fun and frolics instead she ends up juggling family relationships between her mum Edna (Julie Glover), Sister Ange (Angela Simms) and her layabout boyfriend Carl (Lenny Wood), if that wasn’t enough she also has to contend with trying to get her ex-boyfriend Tommy (Michael Hawkins) down from the ledge of the tower block, all set in real time during an episode of Pete Price’s The Peaceful Hour.
Writer Gerry Linford has found his form again especially after Haunted Scouse – which felt a little juvenile especially when following such a brilliant play as Yellow Breck Road. Here Linford allows all the action to take place in real-time, the 90minute script is laced full of humour and conflict, but it feels more adult, more mature in how its delivered. The dialogue is pacey and connected which is complimented considerably by Emma Bird’s fast paced direction which never lets go of its energetic physicality – considering the whole piece is set in the living area of a flat, the movement never settles and something is always going on.
The cast are brilliant, Simms and Wood as home from holiday older sister and partner bring plenty of familiarity to proceedings, while Glover ramps up the attitude perfectly as the sharp mouthed mother Edna. Hawkins as the troubled Tommy packs a punch and provides one of the more heart-felt moments in the piece with a real tenderness and honesty. But it is the chemistry of Clayton and Whittle that really steals the show – this pair bounce off each other brilliantly and the clash of culture resonates fantastically through the auditorium. You would never have known that this was a Royal Court debut from either of the pair, they hold centre stage as good as the best of them and one hopes we see more of them in the future.
The set designed by Chris McCourt sets the scene and the era perfectly even down to the small details such as “Kilroy Was Ere” graffitied on the brick work of the flats, when paired with Jamie Jenkin’s video designs which help bring a level of depth to the stage and Ian Scott’s effective lighting design – the creative compliments rather than over powers proceedings which is a high compliment, not a criticism.
Arguably one of the better Royal Court productions is recent years and with a cracking cast and direction The Peaceful Hour is setting the bar extremely high for the Roe Street venue for the rest of the year.
Runs until 8 March 2025
The Reviews Hub Score
Frantic Fun
