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Caroline gives Diane a life

From me to 3792

The Other RSC

The Station Pub, Sutton Coldfield

****

DIANE'S marriage to Richard might not yet have reached the familiarity breeding contempt stage but it has the distinctly jaded look of indifference hanging over it.

Richard no longer dotes on her nor does he hang attentively on her every utterance, in fact , if truth be known, he doesn't seem to acknowledge most of what she says. They may still live together but their lives seem to have drifted apart.

Her twin sons have flown the nest to university where they are discovering themselves - and one may also have discovered he is gay - and they have just announced they will not be coming home for Christmas.

Caroline Nash as Diane who puts her life into words in letters to a Death Row inmate in From Me to 3792

It is the sort of family which is not a million miles away from the families of people we all know which is probably the strength of West Midland writer David Hendon's one character play - it has elements we can all recognise, people and characters who live down our street.

Into this picture of less than domestic bliss comes Chuck - the mass murderer awaiting judicial dispatch form this life.

Diane found him, or at least the internet site inviting you to write to an inmate on Death Row in the USA, in a neighbour's Daily Mail.

And it is from her  letters to Chuck  we find out about her frustrations, disappointments and at times  her raw despair about her lot.

It is not easy to hold an audience for 80 minutes with cast of thousands - singlehandedly it is a remarkable feat and Caroline Nash manages it superbly as she brings every character in her tale to life with plenty of asides and gentle humour leading the audience  through every emotion known to woman. A wonderful performance. To 3-11-10.

Roger Clarke

INTERVIEW

The play moves on to Nottingham Arts Centre 5-11-10 then The Playhouse, Northampton for a three night run from  2-12-10 to 4-12-10

 

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