Thurs 23 Feb
words: LYNDA NASH
★★★★★
April and Norman Walker and their son, Sid, are a family torn apart by grief. Their individual pain is illustrated by a series of short interlinked monologues that recount the events before and after the car crash that cost Sid his eye and his three friends their lives. To compensate for her son’s loss, April buys a Labrador puppy that Sid unenthusiastically calls Neil. But Neil cannot be the glue that this family so badly needs to hold it together and Norman already has his suitcase packed and a flat rented.
For Once could have been a radio play but as the show progresses it is clear why it isn’t. Watch the nuances: the subtle glances, the pregnant pauses, the lack of physical contact between the characters. What is being said does not tell the full story – read between the lines and you discover that this was a family in crisis long before the accident happened. Slowly though we see more interaction in the narratives, more shared dialogue and the play culminates with the characters sharing the same space – brought together by eye drops – and leaves the audience with hope that the family will survive intact.
This compelling, bittersweet drama was produced by Pentabus Theatre, which has a forty year history of making adventurous and eclectic new work. It is infused with pathos and dark humour – which made for laugh-out-loud moments and stunned silences. There were impressive performances from Patrick Driver as the deeply troubled Norman, Jonathan Smith as angsty teenager, Sid, and Geraldine Alexander as the particularly moving, and woe-betide, April. For Once was written by multi-award-winning Welsh television and stage writer, Tim Price, and was inspired by a week spent in a Welsh borders market town and the young people he met there. The writing is sharp, topical and credible – I believed every word.
For Once continues ar Sherman Cymru until Sat 3 Mar. Tickets: £14. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermancymru.co.uk