REVIEW | Leaves of Glass, Park Theatre
Ned Costello & Kacey Ainsworth in Leaves of Glass. Credit Mark SeniorWritten by Eleanor
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
Content warning: Please note that this show includes domestic violence, strong Language, mental health issues, sudden loud noises, allusions to child abuse and references to suicide. There is also little to no lighting in some scenes.
Leaves of Glass, a stage play by Philip Ridley, explores the ideas of truth and memory and how the two are intertwined. Following a successful run in 2023, the play is now back at Park Theatre.
Brothers Stephen (Ned Costello) and Barry (Joseph Potter) are seemingly on very different paths in life; one runs a successful graffiti removal company and the other is found battling hallucinations and addiction. Both are still affected by the trauma of losing their father at such a young age and by an event that Stephen is hesitant to remember. All the while, their mother (Kacey Ainsworth) and Stephen’s wife Debbie (Katie Eldred) are trying desperately to hold everyone together. But like the fragility of the title suggests, something has to give. Just as Barry gets sober and his outlook on life improves, Stephen has an accident which causes him to spiral and forces them both to confront the traumatic incident from their childhood.
A deeply intense and dramatic play, Leaves of Glass kept me on tenterhooks throughout. The acting by all was superb, bringing both realism and humour to this dark and tragic piece. In particular, the highly combative relationship between Barry and Stephen and how this was brilliantly drawn out meant I could not look away.
One of the elements I was particularly impressed by was the lighting choices, designed by Alex Lewer. The way a single light source was used in certain scenes made them far more intense, such as a low hanging light bulb over a dining table. Another scene later in the play has little to no light at all, with the use of candles then coming at a crucial moment in the plot. These choices forced me to confront the characters and what they were experiencing while making the space feel all the more intimate. The overall design of the production was very stripped back, with limited costumes, props and scenery. Only four black benches remained on stage for the full duration. These limited distractions meant I focused only on the core narrative and was fully immersed in the building tension. We are seeing more examples of these minimalist designs in theatre (the recent production of Evita comes to mind) and I think this choice fits perfectly with this show.
The driving force behind this production was undoubtedly the excellent acting on display. The script and themes of Leaves of Glass are difficult, to say the least, and I was incredibly impressed with how these actors tackled the material and conveyed emotions so rawly and so believably. The majority of the cast previously played the same roles in 2023, and you can definitely tell that they are comfortable with the material and are therefore able to explore these characters more deeply. Ned Costello as Stephen remained on stage for the entire performance. The way he was able to slowly change his demeanour and body language as Stephen’s outlook changed was so engrossing to watch, as was the way Stephen’s attitude shifted when in the presence of his brother - beautifully played throughout. Joseph Potter’s portrayal of Barry was a masterclass in duality, as he switched from calm to severe and loving to violent. He was able to clearly show how on edge this character was, creating a very unsettling and tense environment. I must also mention Kacey Ainsworth as their mother Liz and Katie Eldred as Debbie. Both gave equally as emotive performances and helped bring out the more nurturing side of these male characters. The way Kacey in particular performs a scene where she is mediating a fight between the two sons is incredibly well played and gives the audience such a clear idea of this family unit and how it operates. But I did come away feeling that, in some cases, shouting was overused as a technique to demonstrate frustration. Some later scenes in the play would have felt even more impactful if they had shown their anger with a lower tone earlier on in the story. I also think the use of swearing could be altered in the same way, creating an even larger crescendo at the play’s culmination.
There is no doubt that Leaves of Glass is an extremely tense and dramatic piece of writing. The way the plot reveals little pieces of information as it progresses, heading towards a larger revelation, left me on the edge of my seat. The particular strength of this production comes from the excellent acting on display. This highly emotional piece is brilliantly acted by an ensemble which captures the essence of an honest and believable family dynamic, while also being combative and evasive. The minimalist design elements are used to their full effect, particularly in terms of lighting, and I would certainly recommend this show to any who felt confident in tackling these difficult themes head-on.
Leaves of Glass is playing at Park90 Theatre until the 10th February 2024.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
