Review: LIVING, Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse
Photo credit: Mark Douet
In Leo Butler’s new play Living, we meet young couple Kathy and Brian who move into a house on Burngreave Road in 1969. We then get a snapshot of a day in each year of their lives, seeing the impact of politics, children and work on their lives. The play is fast-paced, transitioning from year to year seamlessly. The first act is incredibly rapid, offering minimal breathing room, whilst the second act slows down in pace as relationships become more fraught and lives become more difficult.
Abigail Graham’s direction leans into the naturalism – the characters and scenes all feel very believable. We feel like we’re a fly on the wall of a real family’s living room. She ensures there are enough tonal shifts to keep us engaged throughout this three-hour long play.
Sarah Beaton’s set design is incredibly effective for this play. It is fairly simple with additional elements being introduced or soft furnishings being replaced to depict the eras changing. Her costumes also show time passing very well, cleverly designed to enable very quick changes at times, whilst never feeling jarring. She clearly understands the characters well and what they would choose to wear.
Casting Director Sophie Parrott CDG has assembled a strong company here who we can easily believe are a family unit and their surrounding friends and lovers.
Liz White gives a powerhouse performance as Kathy. She is likeable and we really feel for her struggles. She captures the innocence of the young pregnant woman and wife as well as the exhaustion and struggle, as well as tenderness, of a working mother perfectly. She breaks our hearts as she starts to lose her mind and suffer from what appears to be dementia.
Kenny Doughty complements White as Brian. He also captures the innocence of a newlywed and young father brilliantly. He gives a moving portrayal of someone’s long medical struggle. Samuel Creasey and Abby Vicky-Russell play Mike and Rebecca respectively. Both go from toddler and to middle-aged adult and we buy into their portrayals, journeys and struggles. They contrast each other very well – Creasey capturing the young man who develops some quite intolerant views and Vicky-Russell bringing to life the woman who knows her own mind and wants to play her part in making the world a better place.
Melina Sinadinou is perfect as Maya, Mike’s ambitious and middle class girlfriend. We see the potential that she has to bring the best out of Mike, making their breakup and Mike’s downfall all the more heartbreaking. Harki Bhambra is great fun as Mike’s childhood best friend and just lovely as Kathy’s new love interest later in life. Andrew Macklin and Michelle Bonnard bring great energy to the stage as Sean and Jules respectively. The scenes of friendship between Macklin, Bonnard, Doughty and White are highlights – full of energy and laughter, as well as comradery in moments of political upheaval.
Living is a fast-paced, expertly written play taking us a rollercoaster ride of emotions from 1969 all the way up until present day. For younger audience members, it’s somewhat educational, learning how the state of the nation has ended up in the position it is today. For older audience members, it will be full of nostalgic moments as they remember where they were when different things happened over these decades. With a tremendous cast bringing to life a multitude of real and raw characters, Living is well worth a watch.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jacob Bush
Living plays at Sheffield’s Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse until 4 April, with further info here.