Review: THE INSEPARABLES, Finborough Theatre
Photo credit: A.J. Halsey and Melanie Silva
Simone de Beauvoir wrote The Inseparables over 70 years ago, but it was only published posthumously in 2020. The semi-autobiographical novella details the relationship between Sylvie Lapage (Simone de Beauvoir) and Andreé Gallard (who represents de Beauvoir’s friend Elisabeth Lacoin) and their growth from young children into adults. Grace Joy Howarth’s adaptation stays true to the novella, with the first act portraying childhood and Act Two detailing adulthood.
This adaptation, like the novella, explores the theme of mental health and the burden of societal expectations, and Lara Manela’s portrayal of Andreé highlights this, especially in Act Two. Towards the end of the second act, the extent of Andreé’s struggle becomes more apparent, and there is a particularly impactful moment between Andreé and her mother Madame Gallard (Caroline Trowbridge) when Madame Gallard throws a bouquet of red roses on the ground and makes Andreé pick them up, except every time she does, her mother throws them back on the ground. Accompanied by a red wash of light across the stage and unnerving, scratchy violin music, this moment emphasises the lack of freedom and autonomy Andreé has over her own life, and also directly contributes to the deterioration of her mental health.
Ayesha Ostler gives a convincing performance, delivering lines with skilled comedy. For example, in Act One when the girls are introduced, Andreé explains how she was involved in an accident with fire when she was younger, and Sylvie replies “Nothing that interesting has ever happened to me”. Ostler’s charming portrayal of Sylvie as both a child and an adult earns laughs from the audience, and her moments of direct address are dynamic and interesting to watch.
Lara Manela is a strong physical performer, and this is particularly clear in the final part of the play when Andreé experiences her breakdown, with movement director Daniela Poch’s choreography having Andreé leap and turn across the stage, as well as the repeating motif of Andreé’s physical movement with her violin, which involves her swaying and contracting her body, cradling the violin like a baby.
Hazel Poole Zane’s set is relatively simple, but is effective in establishing the context of the production. However, the style of the scene changes is less effective, and at times is distracting for the audience.
Jessica Brauner’s video design is projected onto the frame of the window and, at times, has moments of impact. A stained-glass window is projected to denote a church, and this effectively creates a more sombre tone. However, the projection tends to be overused, and can detract from some tender moments such as the narration of a letter between Sylvie and Andreé.
This production has some memorable moments, and often the most impactful are those grounded in simplicity. However, the production isn’t fully cohesive, resulting in a dramaturgical result that feels uneven at times.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by Anna Nichols
The Inseparables plays at London’s Finborough Theatre until 10 May, with further info here.