The Red – Original Theatre
I’ve been a fan of comedian Marcus Brigstocke for a while, so I was very excited at the chance to review his hour long two hander, The Red. The concept of the play is beautifully simple - Benedict’s dad has passed away and amongst his last will and testament is a letter for Benedict, inviting him to visit the family’s well stocked wine cellar and enjoy an extra special bottle of red wine with which he shares a birthday. The problem is, Benedict is an alcoholic and has been in recovery and sober for 25 years.
The drama was originally commissioned for BBC Radio 4 and the intention for this to be an aural experience stands out in the writing. The dialogue feels genuine, familiar and comfortable as Benedict and his father paint a picture of a life lived together, of other family members an...