Temple – Loft Theatre, Leamington, until March 18 (No performance March 13)
Reviewer Peter McGarry
Conflict lies at the heart of all drama and it comes in many forms.
This remarkable play looks at conflict in the context of conscience and how it decides or dictates a person’s decisions and deeds.
It fictionalises what could have taken place behind the scenes of a real event – the 2011 occupation by austerity protestors which actually caused the closure of St Paul’s Cathedral. But this is not so much about that flag-waving gesture as the mental turmoil inflicted on the clergy hierachy indoors. As such it’s a daring and courageous piece of theatre for a local company to tackle.
The skill of this fine Loft production is its ability to examine what could be seen as a word-heavy script by maximising its potency as powerful theatre coupled with flashes of delightful humour.
There are no pat answers to the problems facing the Dean, the Bishop and the Canon Chancellor. Sue Moore’s subtle direction and a splendid set of actors enable us to understand their frustrations. Although the protest issue is not even concerned with religion, the unanswerable question revolves around which side deserves the true moral right of resolution.
The agony of the dilemma is revealed in another stunning performance by Phil Reynolds whose Dean readily admits his own lack of leadership flair but holds fast to his self-belief. Battering at his sensibility are Michael Barker’s strongly rebellious Canon Chancellor and Jeremy Heynes’s fluffy, old-school Bishop.
These characters are vividly brought to life, along with others inextricably caught in the crossfire and delivered in style by Kate Willis and Cathryn Bowler.
On the fringe of the clergy clashes, there is delicious work from Elizabeth Morris whose portrayal of an eager-to-please PA prompts memories of the great Joyce Grenfell. And Richard Moore’s stately Chapter House set design stamps its authority with lasting effect.
