Mixed emotions make for a top play

8:00am Thursday 15th May 2008

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Review - Our House, The Lowry, 4 out of 5 WHILE there are moments of genuine hilarity in Our House, it is, in many ways, a sad play because John Godber seems to be mourning the death of community.

You know what I'm talking about - the days when you could leave your door open and neighbours flitted in and out of each other's houses, borrowing cups of sugar and devouring the local gossip.

This is a warm hearted, affectionate and in places, an angry play. This is the only time I can remember Godber being overtly political by having a pop at Margaret Thatcher and her treatment of the miners. Ted, a decent, hard working man who is devoted to his wife and family, ends up losing his job at the pit and vents his spleen in a powerful, heart felt rant.

The play begins with May, now a doddery old lady, on the verge of moving house for a new life in Spain. Then she starts to reminisce and her memories are played out before her and our very eyes. We meet Ted, who we know has died, and the couple's only son Jack when he was a randy young man with morals as dubious as his dress sense. This is all strangely moving and so is the way Ted and May's lives are ruined by the neighbours from hell next door. I don't know who he does it, but Godber really makes you feel their emotional anguish. We, the audience, feel as trapped as they do. May pleads with Jack to do something about their obnoxious neighbours and we feel infuriated by his inertia. But Jack has a trick up his sleeve and there's a lovely twist at the end of the play. So good, in fact, I felt like cheering.

I look forward to Hull Truck Theatre Company's visits to The Lowry like a child looks forward to Christmas. Performances from the entire cast are outstanding but it was Dicken Ashworth and Jacqueline Naylor as the lovely Ted and May who really touched a nerve. Rick Bowen * Until Saturday. The box office is on 0870 111 2000.