When It Happens To You

Venue:

The Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London N4

Date: 21/08/2024

Theatre reviews are few and far between, here on The Afterword, but having seen Amanda Abbington’s astonishing performance I feel compelled to recommend this play.
It’s based on a real event, the rape of playwright Tawni O’Dell’s daughter. The rape is not reenacted, but happens offstage. The play is about the consequences of the rape on the family over the following years.
The cast consists of just four actors, but as I have thought about it, I would suggest that it can be considered as an enhanced monologue. Tara, Abbington’s character, speaks about 75% of the script. The other cast members enable Tara’s part to move forward. They interact with Tara – they aren’t dumb ciphers – but essentially they are there to enhance the lead performance. But as portrayed by Amanda Abbington, what a mind blowing performance!
Over the years I have seen some great performances at The Park (which is our local theatre): James Bolam in Bomber’s Moon, Anne Archer in The Trial Of Jane Fonda, Maureen Lipman in Dakota and David Haig in Pressure among them, but none of them compares to this tour de force. The emotional range on display and the way she flips from one old to another in seconds is breathtaking. Her deftness makes the part compelling. In the mouth of another actress it could be utterly boring, bombastic or hysterical. Amanda Abbington carries it with charisma, grace and poise, stretching her acting ability to create an absolutely stunning performance, balancing the character’s conflicting emotions, taking the audience with her through the characters lows and highs (yes, there are a few).
It ranks among the greatest theatrical performances I have ever witnessed. The performance that I have witnessed that comes to mind that bears comparison was over 40 years ago, when (then unknown) Kenneth Branagh stole the show from Rupert Everett in Another Country.
This play is 90 minutes with no intermission. It’s also the most minimalist performance I’ve ever seen. A completely bare stage. The only props are a policeman’s badge, a jacket and a pair of spectacles. Stage lighting sets the tone. There is occasional music heard in the background. At the back of the stage skyscrapers of New York are defined by thin light strips. This matters not in the least because your eyes are focused on Abbington as she wanders the stage.
I should mention the other cast members, who in their limited rôles are all excellent: Rosie Day as the daughter, Esme (who does get an opportunity to shine with her own monologue); Miles Molan as son Connor and Tok Stephen who plays all other parts.

The audience:

As I stood outside with my wife and four friends, all we could talk about was Amanda Abbington’s brilliance. From snatches of conversation I overheard, that’s what everyone else was talking about. Though when we rose from our seats to leave a guy in the row behind said to his partner “You told me it was going to be light hearted”.

It made me think..

It’s hard to call it entertainment. Maybe it should be regarded in the same way as Schindler’s List is considered as “entertainment”. When you leave you realise you have seen something the like of which you are unlikely to ever see again.
The run finishes on August 31st. There were at least half a dozen empty seats last night, so there is a good chance tickets are still available. It’s a minute’s walk from Finsbury Park station so access via tube, bus and national rail is easy.
If you live in London or Home Counties make an effort to get a ticket. You’ll be so pleased if you’re successful.

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