Until She Sleeps – White Bear Theatre, London

Writer: Brad Sutherland

Director: David Furlong

The love shared by Edward and Henrietta Dunbar is matched by only one thing: their hatred for one another. A whirlwind mix of care, conspiracy, and contempt, Brad Sutherland’s If She Could Sleep dissects an already-imperfect marriage under threat of collapse.

A proud member of the once-prestigious “club”, Edward’s life is governed by his image and that of his marriage. When Henrietta (Tonya Cornelisse) falls ill with a long, wasting illness, the Dunbars’ facade begins to dissolve along with their vows. Though Edward (Jonathan Hansler) is bound by God, a pact which he uncharacteristically holds dear, the question lingers in his mind as well as Henny’s: Will he stay?

Henrietta occupies a paradoxical space. She cannot die so long as she has a husband to live for, yet the longer she lives, the more of her vain husband’s precious money she can spend. Every second that passes is a knife twist for Edward, as he knows very well her intentions, and he can hardly ignore the temptation of foul play amid his partner’s constant suggestion of it. The pair loves so viciously; Henny often desperately wishes the end would come–they both do–but an inexplicable air of love transcends their violent words. Edward and Henrietta are in a perpetual civil war, yet somehow, they’re on the same side.

Months become years, and as the Dunbars’ pride dims, passions increase. Edward bitters at the loss of his status while forced to tend to his wife. In turn, she resents needing his care and is resolved to make his life a living hell. Friends Peter and Nicola Eastling (Rowland D. Hill and Robin Miller) are fed conflicting narratives by the Dunbars’ of their vicious battles. A tense firefight about the couple’s sex life is more than taboo; it reveals the inner machinations of their greater relationship. Edward must maintain his fragile ego, but Henrietta needs to be in control of something since her body has betrayed her.

Minimalist white sheets cover the stage and set a sterile scene that highlights an apt cast. The range of emotions covered by Hansler and Cornelisse makes their union endlessly intriguing. Edward Dunbar’s breakdown of love is a sobering dose of wisdom in a sea of marital tumult. Despite skewing melodramatic at times, Sutherland provides a creative script with some rare moments of realistic poignancy.

Runs until 16 November 2024