Set solely on a beach on the coast of the North Sea, Driftwood’ explores how two brothers navigate the grief of their father’s passing while attempting to mend their fragmented relationship. Tim Foley’s masterful writing shows two very different minds, that of elder brother Mark who focuses on funeral arrangements whilst navigating his return home after an extended absence. We also see the younger sibling, Tiny, distract himself with his fascination with the beach, its poisoned landscape and the ghostly and illusive figure, the Mariner.
Both brothers have been apart for some time and it’s clear from the outset that many words are being left unspoken. James Westphal (Mark) expertly crosses between moments of panic due to being confronted with the past while also showing the care his character has toward Tiny, Mark’s younger brother. Westphal allows the audience to ponder if Mark is so dissimilar to his not-so-present father figure while also showing the regret of leaving home. Jerome Yates plays Tiny in the beginning with a sense of naivety. He does a tremendous job of developing his character’s arc as we see Tiny’s process of grief, distracting himself and escaping into a world of memory and imagination. There are moments in the play where Yates’ creates impactful outbursts of raw emotion showing that in the real world, Tiny is struggling.
The pacing of Driftwood is simply divine. With high-energy scene transitions encompassing elements of physical theatre akin to the work of Frantic Assembly. On the other end of the spectrum, both actors revel in the moments of silence which can be a very difficult thing to do. Westphal and Yates take their time to ensure the punchier moments of the text land with the audience and give us time to digest the action in front of this. It is clear that directors Neil Bettles and Elle While have carefully considered the rise and fall of pace in their piece which is a highly commendable skill.
The fantastic performances are complemented by the use of the projection screen behind the action. I must admit, I am often worried when I enter a theatre and see a projector is being used but my worries were quickly dissipated. The images used really helped to immerse the audience into the world of play, predominantly showing the beach landscape at various times. However, it was during the more visceral moments the projection came to fruition. With the use of colourful, sharp outbursts during the play’s climax, I felt very drawn into the action on stage without the images behind outshining the performance. Both actors and tech worked perfectly in tandem.
‘Driftwood’ is a beautiful piece of theatre that proves people process grief in various ways. Like the waves on a beach, people can drift away from one another but often, in whatever circumstances, find a way back.
Reviewer: Dylan Mooney
Reviewed: 4th March 2025
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 5 out of 5.
