A virtuoso ensemble brings a joie de vivre to a troubling drama in Grace Chapple’s NEVER CLOSER.
The play begins with a ghost story spun in spell binding oration by Deirdre, in whose house in a Northern Ireland border town, a quintet of close friends have gathered for a farewell for one of them, Niamh, leaving for London to study. There’s celebration and sadness around her leaving, some hostility too from her boyfriend, Conor, a staunch Republican. For him, living in London is akin to conspiring with the enemy.
NEVER CLOSER becomes itself a ghost story of sorts as the narrative flash forwards to Christmas some years later and Conor and Deirdre are a clandestine item. Jimmy, frustrated at forsaking his musical ambitions to tend his father’s farm decides to declare his unspoken love for Deirdre and Mary is planning to decamp to New York, while Niamh unexpectedly returns with her English boyfriend, Harry, in tow.
Grace Chapple’s play sparkles with dialogue that defines character and milieu – ribald, dauntless, intent on a craic and spoiling for a fight. With a superb grasp of the dramatic, tragedy is concealed beneath layers of laugh out loud comedy.
Directed by Hannah Goodwin, cast and crew create a palpable atmosphere of time and place, an alchemy of talent that draws us into their reality.
Emma Diaz is galvanising as Deirdre, Raj Labade quietly heartbreaking as Jimmy.
Mabel Li is an exhilarating Niamh, and Philip Lynch as the foppish Harry, hilarious at every turn.
Ariadne Sgouros as Mary, projects a larger than life, risky whisky party girl and Adam Sollis as Conor, gives us a brooding, incendiary bombastic fellow, sentimental over causes and crusades rather than the individuals in his cohort, favouring retaliation over reconciliation.
Grace Deacon’s set is deceptively simple and so rich in detail, complimented by Keerthi Subramanyam’s costumes and Phoebe Pilcher’s lighting. Sound designer Alyx Dennison sonic expertise is a boom boom boon.
An outstanding piece of theatre, NEVER CLOSER is a lay down misere for a full house.
NEVER CLOSER by Grace Chapple plays Belvoir Street Downstairs till October 16.
