Acting is icing on the cake

3:00pm Thursday 10th April 2008

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Frozen, The Library Theatre, 5 out of 5

FROZEN is a deeply unsettling and very grown up piece of drama that forces members of the audience to confront some very difficult questions.

For instance, are people who commit horrendous crimes against children mentally ill, or just plain evil? And could you forgive a man who had sexually assaulted and murdered your child?

But, to her credit, writer Bryony handles this painful subject manner in a calm and reasoned manner in a must see play currently being staged at the Library Theatre. There are no crude shock tactics here and the piece is totally devoid of sensationalism. For me, this is the company's play of the season.

We begin by loathing Ralph the predatory paeodophile - he makes your flesh crawl as he tries to rationalise his disgusting behaviour. But, as the play progresses, it soon becomes apparent that he's a victim too, having been abused by a tyrannical father when he was a child. Did I feel sorry for him? No. But I could not escape the fact that he too is damaged goods.

John Killoran gives a remarkable performance as Ralph, starting the evening squirmingly scary and ending it a pathetic, broken man. The scene in which he meets Nancy, the mother of one of his victims in prison, is perfectly played by him and the terrific Joanna Bacon. For the first few seconds Nancy just stares at him like you'd stare at an unusual animal at the zoo. Can she forgive the man who has torn her life apart by robbing her of her 10 year old daughter? You'll simply have to go and see Frozen to find out.

Chillingly good - when live theatre is as challenging as this you simply can't beat it.

Rick Bowen * Until April 26. The box office is on 0161 236 7110.