People places and things

I watched People, Places and Things at the National Theatre and I give it a 4/5 rating.



Such fabulous acting, I really thought Denise Gough would bag all the best female actor awards this year. ( That didn't happen, instead going to Nicole Kidman for some remarkably good acting in a limited character in Photograph 51, though mostly because it was Nicole Kidman I think).

I personally don't know anyone who went to rehab so it took me a while to get into the play but once I did, I was locked in. The journey that Denise takes on is difficult and mentally stressful, especially when everyone around her had written her off completely. There is also the physical element of withdrawal that breaks her down, her face expressing excruciating pain.  The play is perfect because it makes us feel hopeful at the end. it shows you that with a little bit of help, anyone can do it. But that help is hard to find.

All that the play has is Denise Gough. Other characters come and go but the play rests on her and her alone. And she embraced that opportunity delivering an exhilarating emotional performance.

The sets were intelligently used with the base being a rehab facility and the other sets for fragments produced briefly for the audience but the rehab facility continues to remain in the background with the brilliant startling white light reflecting off of white tiles.

The play has now moved to the west end. It's worth a watch but also a bit expensive now.

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