Sisters, Brockley Jack Studio Theatre Review
Written by Penny for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Sisters is the debut production from UNCOMMON THEATRE, a company created to support working class actors, writers and directors. Written by David Storey, who was known as the Chekhov of the North, Sisters was first performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester in 1978. It is described as “a remarkable, unsettling play about unrealised ambition, love, morals and madness”.
It focuses on two sisters, reunited after many years, when Adrienne arrives unexpectedly at sister Carol’s home on a large council estate in the industrial North of England. There are many questions to answer and nothing is quite as it seems.
The set, designed by Molly Agar, instantly draws us into this 1970s home with a bold mismatch of patterns in shades of orange and brown on the wallpaper, the carpet and the sofa. It’s not sophisticated but it’s pristine and tells us that we’re dealing with a houseproud, working class family. Throughout the play, sound design from Niamh Evans adds to the idea of a very ordinary community with the sound of dogs barking and occasional cars passing outside.
David Storey’s script, on the surface, gives us a snapshot of very ordinary lives. We’re meeting characters who have experienced professional and personal setbacks that a lot of people can relate to, their interests and passions are mundane – highlighted in geography teacher Terry’s enthusiastic and lenghtly chat about a 10,000 year old lake – but it becomes instantly clear that there is more to this set up of family and friends than meets the eye. In the opening part of the play, we meet Mrs Donaldson (Sarah Dorsett) who introduces herself to the visiting Adrienne (Joanne Arber) as the mother of her host, Carol (Laura Kaye). Except, Adrienne and Carol are sisters, so how can that be? We’re instantly engaged and wanting to know more.
Director Elizabeth Elstub has given the action a good pace and the interactions between the characters feel very natural. Use of props is mostly good, with the actors constantly pouring drinks (cups of tea and coffee or glasses of barely diluted spirits) and offering food, giving the impression that they are all completely at home. This cleverly also leads to the question as to WHY this group of people feels so completely at home – it’s not their house but they behave as if it is. It’s an intriguing premise and has you guessing from the start.
The performances are good with all of the actors presenting distinctive characters from thuggish policeman Cracker (Stephen Guy) to diet obsessed Jo (Madelyn Morgan). At times some of the supporting performances are a little one dimensional with gabbled dialogue and diction not clear, but generally we get a clear picture of what the characters are all about.
There are some stand-out performances. Playing ex-footballer Tom, Christopher Tomkins has excellent physicality, conveying just as much with a look full of menacing intensity as he does with his delivery of dialogue. Oliver Lyndon as geography teacher Terry is one of the more sympathetic characters, his small ambitions and more introverted personality come across very clearly and make him stand out from his bolder and brasher cohorts.
In the roles of the titular sisters, Joanne Arber and Laura Kaye give excellent performances. From the start, Arber presents the well-spoken Adrienne as a layered, brittle and rather fragile character. Kaye’s portrayal of younger sister Carol gives us a woman who appears to have everything under control, but also clearly shows how isolated she has felt due to her older sister’s long absence from her life. As the action unfolds, we can clearly see the sometimes subtle and sometimes jarring shifts in these two characters as the truth of their situations is revealed.
Sisters is certainly an intriguing piece of theatre. Although it isn’t that difficult to work out what’s really going on, it’s interesting watching the real story come out and the characters’ truths revealed. The climax of the play is a little rushed and confusing, as it doesn’t offer clear resolutions or any repercussions for actions taken. Some of the big themes tackled – mental health and domestic abuse – feel a little bit under-developed and brushed over. But, it’s well paced and has a good and very watchable cast so it definitely offers an entertaining and thought-provoking evening.
A rare full-length production at the Brockley Jack, Sisters has a two hours and twenty minutes running time, with a fifteen minute interval. Performances run until 26th April 2025 (Tuesday-Saturday). Find out more and book here.
★★★
