Eclipse
John Morton, who also directs
Minerva Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre
Star rating: 4
Photography: Ellie Kurttz
It’s a situation which speaks to all of us. Most of us have been in some version of it. And yes, sad as it is to lose a long-loved family member, there is also humour, exasperation and awkwardness which John Morton’s play catches in spades.
Edward, a moderately successful writer of children’s books, lies dying in a nearby room, His very tense daughter (Sarah Parish) and son (Rupert Penry-Jones) are in attendance along, eventually, along with her husband (Paul Thornley), his ex (Mariam Haque) and a number of professionals and visitors. The action takes place over 24 hours in late summer entirely in a very lovely pine kitchen and large garden. Simon Higlett’s grassy, cosy set is one of the prettiest, most detailed I’ve seen in a while and warmly connotes a comfortable, spacious former rectory in rural Somerset.
Morton has a terrific ear for banal chat which, in a wistful, tactful British way, covers people’s real feelings and reluctance to voice them. At the same time, what do we do? We makes endless cups of tea and eat biscuits. It all creates rueful humour because it is so recognisable. So are the silences when characters are simply trying not to say anything crass or devoting themselves to trivial tasks such as Thornley’s Graham trying, and hilariously failing, to mend the toaster. Selina Cadell as home help/carer, Karen, is especially good at this.
Penry Jones gives us a sad, but reasonably worldly man. Unlike his sister he has moved away. He is clearly having relationship difficulties and struggling to come to terms with the imminent loss of his childhood home and everything connected with it. Sarah Parish’s performance is strong too. Her character covers her grief, anxiety and fear with relentless anger, mostly directed at her decent, long-suffering husband. When in the end, the inevitable happens and she crumbles, it’s really quite moving.
Death and a family’s responses to it are, as Jonathan observes, like an eclipse. You assemble to watch it. You know it’s going to happen. But it’s astonishing when it does. Spot on.
It’s good to see a play so generously staged. There are several quite minor characters in this production but no doubling. Moreover it’s a pleasing change to see a new play which isn’t about gay love, domestic violence or politics. Eclipse is gentle, thoughtful, funny and beautifully observed. Catch it if you can.
