Family Tree – Kings Arms, Salford

Peripeteia Theatre Company have created a show with a worthy cause at its heart – a same sex couple wanting to bring a baby into already overpopulated and polluted world. This is a strait-laced two-hander play which is inspired by Lungs written by Duncan Macmillan.

When I arrived at the Kings Arms and was greeted to individual tables with fairy lights and a good soundtrack, I had high expectations. However, when the baby-faced actors (Layla Hopps and Rebecca Gray) stepped on stage there was just no energy and sadly it never really picked up. Perhaps it was a case of first night nerves?

While the plot is good and writer (Adam Cachia) gave the team lots to work with, sadly a lot of this potential was not realised. The synopsis in the program included words like ‘political unrest’, ‘war breaking out’ and ‘ice caps melting’ – none of this was realised in the show, apart from a few comments in the script. I really feel the director (Jess Renshall) missed a trick to add these elements to show – there were no creative sound effects or lighting choices. Instead, all we got was a bare stage, which left the actors very exposed.

In these intense two-hander dramas, the acting needs to be spot on. Firstly, I struggled to believe them as they looked so young to be taking on such a serious subject matter. Despite some moments of magic, both actors tripped over their lines at times. I do think this wasn’t the best casting choice – I would have preferred older actors. To her credit, Hopps did try to salvage something from the performance, however Gray just seemed to be a bag of nerves – I couldn’t hear what they were saying half the time because their voice is so quiet. The intimate scenes seemed forced and didn’t come across as believable. I didn’t get the impression this couple were in a long-term relationship. To be brutally honest these two could have been strangers – there was just nothing about them that said ‘couple’ to me. Perhaps some extra time in rehearsal room would have built up some form of chemistry.

Having said all that, the plot and script was good. So, I think this play does have legs, it just needs a better cast and direction. It just needs to be workshopped again, adding in elements to make it exciting and lift it off the page.

Family Tree is running at the Kings Arms until 26th August 2022. For more information, please visit: https://www.ents24.com/manchester-events/the-kings-arms/family-tree/6528838

Reviewer: Brian Madden

Reviewed: 24th August 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★