Hitting Town

By Steve Poliakoff

Late Night Theatre at Downstage's Halfway Up

Steve Poliakoff is described as a 'new wave' playwright; something which I viewed with scepticism before I went to see Hitting Town. I mean to say, a new wave play is laying it on a bit thick isn't it? But, sure enough, the new wave ideals, with all their trappings, have been packed into this one - insistent music, rejection of societal attitudes, graffiti, alienation of the individual - all abound. The audience is bombarded with the harshness, the excitement, (and the inadequacy), of life in Britain, 1975.

Well Developed Characters

Obviously, drama dealing with such hefty issues is in danger of collapsing under its own weight if not performed convincingly. Downstage's performance, directed by Colin McColl, has avoided the pitfalls. If at times the play may appear larger than life, it is never trite. Both Laurence Couchman as Ralph and Joanne Mildenhall as his sister Clare give tight performances, embroiled in the convolutions of their incestuous relationship. With their different reactions to the situation, the problem is never actually resolved, although the portrayal is a very sympathetic one. Ralph, rushing around in his shell shocked manner (he'd come back from the IRA bombings in Birmingham), is more ready to accept the situation as it is, but Clare's confusion and anger are justified.

Felicity Yates, who completes the cast as the Wimpy waitress, also deserves mention. Looking pale and vacant, she spends most of her time, as Ralph says, 'not batting anything'. Felicity's portrayal of this 'lost soul' is very moving; the build up to her frenzied dance in her 'spot' at the local disco being very well done, preparing the audience yet never detracting from the full force of the pathos.

The characters are not limited by their representing the ills of society however they never threaten to become mere caricatures. Ralph especially injects real humour into the play with his half crazed antics. Ironically though, the humour only adds to the underlying tragedy. At times the audience is at a loss as to whether they should laugh or have a good bawl. Either way, interest never lags.

Hard to Fault

However, being a discerning member of the audience and all, I feel obliged to throw in a negative comment. Despite attempts to fulfill this convention, all I can come up with is a little niggle about hearing the tape recorder being turned on and off during a telephone conversation. Slightly distracting, but unavoidable in a little theatre.

Intimate theatre, such as Downstage's Halfway Up, may have the disadvantages of the tape recorder kind, but the ability it has of blurring the audience's lines between spectator and participant quite eclipses minor technical faults. This increased audience involvement is not just the effect of the theatre's size either; it demands that the actors maintain a high standard of credibility. Something not lacking in this production of Hitting Town.

There are only two more performances to go - this Friday and Saturday, starting at 11.00pm. So bowl along after the pub or whatever - you don't have to be the theatre going type to enjoy this one.

Tracey Fletcher-Cole