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Michelle Bonnard as Jess. Pictures: Graeme Braidwood The Quiet House
Birmingham Rep, Door
***** FOR many people, having a baby seems like
a straight forward plan. For the couple Jess and Dylan, it is not as
easy as they previously thought. With an astonishingly powerful script by Gareth
Farr and unbelievable performances from the cast, Tessa Walker directs
The Quiet House, which looks into the unseen and unspoken truth about
the hardships of trying to conceive. This play is one of a kind. As a young married
couple, the next natural step is the want to start a family. Jess and
Dylan believe that starting a family is a need, rather than a mere
desire. On the surface, Farr presents us with the story
of Jess and Dylan’s’ relationship. They are a typical couple in their
Thirties, both with stable jobs and a decent home. This set up looks
promising for the ambitious couple and both are extremely happy
together. One small addition to their established life is
missing and is probably the most important thing that would complete
their lives. This play shows us that we do not think about the struggles
of infertility until the moment strikes. Within Farr’s writing, we see
the journey of IVF treatment in almost real-time action. Each scene
creates an eye-opening snapshot of Jess and Dylan’s hope at trying
alternative measures in creating a family and the emotional response
that comes with it. The audience see Jess and Dylan’s experience as a
couple trying to conceive through short scenes, passing through the time
of taking fertility treatment. Und
Farr does well to capture the individual response
of each character of the four-hander play. Jess and Dylan are a team;
however we see how fertility treatment sparks incredibly different
emotional reactions within them both. In the character of Dylan, Farr
has created a conflict of the masculine mind, giving the suggestion that
Dylan feels that he has failed in his duty as a man. This of course has an effect on his work life and
the desire to keep the truth away from his colleague and friend Tony. It
indeed has disastrous emotional consequences, especially when Dylan
receives offers to work in Spain on multiple occasions. The need to have a child for Jess is rooted
within her blood. Her bravery of taking the fertility treatment is laid
out before us and her physical pain from taking daily injections is
definitely eye-opening. Within the character of Jess, we see a heavy
sacrifice purely for the love of a child. Jess’ emotional connection is
at times heart-breaking as she desperately reaches out to Dylan to help
her in her in her own needs. Whilst Jess and Dylan live from one day to the
next and look for the smallest glimmer of positivity, their neighbour,
Kim, who lives in the flat above, struggles with a new-born of her own.
Of course this close situation that is nobody’s fault breeds a certain
conflict, in that what Jess and Dylan want is always under their nose,
but yet so far away. Farr is incredibly sensitive in his conviction of
telling a story of such importance. What makes this production truly
outstanding are the performances from the cast. Michelle Bonnard and
Oliver Lansley give a wonderfully truthful portrayal as the couple which
allows us to be touched and feel as deeply as they do on stage. Bonnard is breath taking as Jess and her
performance is not to be missed. Her essence of showing a hopeful
mother, bound by the conflict of natural statistics gives the audience a
whirlwind of emotions to look at and contemplate. Lansley as Dylan is the perfect partner for
Bonnard. Together they show a beautiful and loving relationship that
others would hope to achieve, but within it, Lansley and Bonnard do well
to create the struggles that give way to the darkest moments. The story
is helped fantastically with Allyson Ava-Brown’s strong portrayal of
their neighbour Kim and Tom Walker’s depiction of Tony, the cheeky-chappy
boss of Dylan. Farr’s story is as intimate as it is passionate.
Through the tragedies of life, he celebrates love and shows the power of
what the love between two people can overcome with a commitment to each
other and the future. It ends with a cliff-hanger, giving the audience
just a sense of the hope the Jess and Dylan must possess in every single
moment. To 04-06-16 Elizabeth Halpin 01-06-16
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erneath
is a situation that is not easy to bring to the surface.