AMY'S
VIEW
Playwright - David Hare
Director - Richard Baron
Designer - Trevor Coe
Company - Pitlochry Theatre Company
Venue - Pitlochry Festival Theatre www.pitlochry.org.uk
01796 484626
Dates - see listings for
details
Reviewer - Jan Natanson
This is a subtle , thought provoking play exploring the nature of love,
divided loyalties and the patterns of emotional ties within families,
tackling themes of politics, class and even about theatre itself and
its relevance and relationship to modern life. It's not a didactic or
issue based piece - it's more than that. On the way home an audience
will mull over such issues and appreciate the playwright's subtlety
in skilfully introducing and weaving these themes through an interesting
and emotionally satisfying drama. A play of many layers yet with some
very good jokes, Amy's View is both an enjoyable evening at the theatre
and a play which makes you think.
Giving us glimpses of the family during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, we follow
Amy, Amanda Beveridge, as she is torn between her love for the
selfish and attractive Domenic, Matthew Chambers, and her adored
but equally self centred actress mother Esme, Alice Fraser. As
family fortunes rise and fall over the decades - Domenic rises to fame
and wealth while Esme loses everything when , as an unlucky member of
a Lloyds syndicate, she becomes a victim of the system - we follow the
development of the tortuous three way relationship of Amy, Domenic and
Esme.
This is a fine piece of ensemble playing by the cast, inculding the
supporting actors Dilys Hamlett, Micheal Mackenzie and Steven Kynman.
All bring their individual strengths to their roles, creating strongly
authentic characters that develop throughout the play. The ability of
the actors to make such character development physical -beyond the superficial
( but rather well done ) changes in hairstyle and clothes - is to be
commended. The last scene , when for the first time we see Esme being
truly herself - that is as a working actress preparing for a performance
( ironically the only time she is stripped of make-up) - leads to a
satisfying emotional climax that is both authentic in its restraint
and dramatic in the best sense of the word. This is a well crafted play
and the actors, director and set bring their own craft to the drama
to do it justice.
© Jan Natanson August 2001
AMY'S VIEW by David Hare Alice Fraser as Esme Allen.
Photographs by Keith Brame.
.