Girls and Boys, Royal Court

Have similar views to kathryn, I was surprised by how funny the start was but quickly engaged, for me CM held my attention and I thought worked well in the sort of stand up role, holding the audience. As it progressed I wondered what it would have been like if they had kept the house lights on so we weren't hidden in the darkness and would have had to face the relationships progress visibly. I had prior knowledge of one of the scenes (thanks to jadnoop who enabled me to make a decision as to whether it was something I would be able to deal with or not) which did inevitably influence my response but sat with fingers firmly in ears but knowing the words being said I watched the sudden stillness of the audience, it was clear from that and people's responses afterwards that for some at least it came as a surprise and there was that complicit feel when you've been happily laughing at something one minute and then found it has horribly changed. I rather liked the two different ways of re-telling the story and was fascinated by what was coloured each time in those bleached scenes. I have to admit I didn't click watching it of any difference in the portrayal of behaviour or treatment of the children on a gender basis, it was only post watching reading reviews and on here that I went ohhhhh. I sit and wonder of the class for want of another word of the writer, though whether that was influenced by the chat on here before about the character and the actress playing it which much more sense when watching, I don't know. I loved Carey Mulligan, I found her illuminous some years back in Skylight, very difficult to not watch all the time so this worked for me as there were no other actors I was short changing by not watching. As for the play, it was by no means perfect but thought provoking and niggly in my head though one of those one impossible to explain to other people without convincing them you have a morbid taste in theatre.