Mrs. Delgado, The Old Fire Station, Oxford
Dec 9, 2021 1:13:10 GMT
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barelyathletic likes this
Post by mkb on Dec 9, 2021 1:13:10 GMT
Following on from Mike Bartlett's pre-lockdown premier of Snowflake, the same Oxford venue offers up his latest work, Mrs. Delgado.
Running at exactly 60 minutes, this is less a one-woman monologue, than a reading of the script, necessitated by the late replacement of Rakhee Sharma by Snowflake's Ellen Robertson. Happily, it's none the worse for that, as Robertson delivers this tale of battling lockdown neighbours with finesse.
Through well-meaning and law-abiding Helen, we learn about the eponymous older lady, living across the street, who is intriguing and beguiling and seemingly everything that Helen isn't. The themes explored are timeless; the pandemic merely provides a backdrop. There is much humour and some pathos as we discover what divides and drives these well-drawn relatable characters coping in imposed isolation.
If you are firmly a Helen, or a Mrs Delgado, by the end of the piece, I suspect you will be less entrenched in your conviction, which is testament to the quality of the writing.
My only complaint was that I was left wanting more. The hour passed far too quickly.
Four stars.
One act: 19:32-20:32
Running at exactly 60 minutes, this is less a one-woman monologue, than a reading of the script, necessitated by the late replacement of Rakhee Sharma by Snowflake's Ellen Robertson. Happily, it's none the worse for that, as Robertson delivers this tale of battling lockdown neighbours with finesse.
Through well-meaning and law-abiding Helen, we learn about the eponymous older lady, living across the street, who is intriguing and beguiling and seemingly everything that Helen isn't. The themes explored are timeless; the pandemic merely provides a backdrop. There is much humour and some pathos as we discover what divides and drives these well-drawn relatable characters coping in imposed isolation.
If you are firmly a Helen, or a Mrs Delgado, by the end of the piece, I suspect you will be less entrenched in your conviction, which is testament to the quality of the writing.
My only complaint was that I was left wanting more. The hour passed far too quickly.
Four stars.
One act: 19:32-20:32