Let me start with a statement that sits oddly with a four-star rating: this isn’t a particularly good play. All four characters are representative of a point of view or social trend and each life, predictably, takes a turn for the crisis-ridden over a weekend-long family reunion. But what The Awkward Squad has in abundance is heart and conviction and those are not qualities to be lightly dismissed.
It’s refreshing, too, to see the lives of four “ordinary” women — and non-London-based ones at that — take centre stage for 100 minutes. Writer Karin Young, a Bafta-winning contributor to Emmerdale, also craftily slips one of the most pertinent issues of the day in among the bickering and sharp one-liners: namely, is feminism taking backwards steps among young women? After all, 26-year-old Sarah (Lisa McGrillis) is more concerned with her boob job and rich golfer boyfriend than with carving out an independent life, much to the despair of mother Sandy (Emmerdale regular Charlie Hardwick) and aunt Pam (Libby Davison). Grandmother Lorna (Barbara Marten), who’s about to have a community centre named in her honour, despairs. Who will fight the good fight for this generation if the likes of Sarah can’t be bothered?
A strong vein of Left-wing thinking courses unashamedly through the drama; Lorna’s political activism was galvanised, after all, by the miners’ strike. The four actresses share an easy affinity in FionaMacPherson’s [yep] affable production and the whole experience is akin to hunkering down with a few girlfriends — who happen to sound like the delightful Sarah Millican — and a few more glasses of wine. And jibes about library closures.
Until April 7 (020 7907 7092, theawkward squadplay.com
