Arriving at the theatre last night to find an almost full choice of unreserved seats I instantly regretted tucking myself into a corner and wondered if I’d get the most out of the four-sided stage. I needn’t have worried, though; and was heartened to see that Director Bethany Pitts’s biography includes Jules and Juniper, which was my North West End UK pick of 2022.
The Beach House was reminiscent of this in terms of the fluidity and the smoothness of movement – fitting for a play set by the sea. The performers make full use of a tight space and are in almost constant motion – physically and maybe emotionally too. This is complemented by the gentle use of lighting which perfectly moves the action through time, from a dawn interrupted by a crying new born to New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Given how much I enjoyed the aesthetics of the production, it pains me to say that I felt the writing was a bit disappointing. While the cast gave earnest performances the dialogue felt tired. I was hoping for some killer lines – something witty or insightful that I’d take home with me, but they didn’t materialise. Similarly, the story itself felt like it just scratched the surface of something that could have been unique but is never fully explored. The play deals with complex female relationships but seems to focus on the more toxic elements with few glimmers of hope. The characters – to me – didn’t feel complete and so much underlying tension and history was alluded to but then left, not to be revisited. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen, for something to be explained, but the resolution didn’t come.
That could, of course, have been the intention – in just over 80 minutes you’re given a snapshot into the interwoven lives of three women, so writer Jo Harper perhaps leans on the audience to infer for themselves what they want to. We meet Liv at her partner Kate’s party, which is also attended by Kate’s sister Jenny who is presented as flighty and unpredictable, especially in comparison with Kate who has a stable career. While each performance was solid, I’m not sure if any of the characters really landed with me. Jenny (Gemma Barnett) felt young and childish rather than fun and carefree and Kathryn Bond’s Kate had an almost aggressive, nervous energy that I didn’t completely understand. The standout for me was Gemma Lawrence as Liv; I could feel her irritation, her frustration, her confusion, her joy, and I wanted a better ending for her than the one that was delivered.
Excellent performances aside, I felt like the premise of this piece had a lot of potential but plotlines that veer between predictable and improbable and not-quite-punchy enough dialogue let it down. While I didn’t find anything new here, I always enjoy a trip to the Park Theatre and I’m sure cast and crew will enjoy a successful run.
The Beach House is at the Park Theatre until 11th March. https://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-beach-house
Reviewer: Zoё Meeres
Reviewed: 20th February 2023
North West End UK Rating: ★★