Review: BRIEF ENCOUNTER, Watermill Theatre

Photo credit: Pamela Raith

Brief Encounter is best known as a very successful 1945 film, which was based on Noel Coward’s one-act play Still Life. The famous tale of forbidden love has come full circle, and is now back on stage in this fantastic adaptation by Emma Rice. 

Fans of Rice’s work will notice lots of her quirky touches throughout the piece, which tells the story of a chance meeting between housewife and mother Laura Jesson and Doctor Alec Harvey in a train station tearoom. Given that the pair are both married to other people, and living in an era where divorce is nothing short of scandalous, the love affair is doomed for heartbreak from the off. In contrast to Laura and Alec’s clandestine trysts, we are also witness to Beryl and Stanley’s first forays into young love, and Myrtle and Albert’s raunchy rendezvous’- showing a full spectrum of the perks and pitfalls of romantic relationships. 

Laura and Alec, played by Laura Lake Adebisi and Callum McIntyre respectively, are by far the least engaging of the couples to watch - but expertly so. Indeed, Coward’s own performance in Still Life in 1936 was described by The Times Critic as “deliberately colourless”, highlighting the juxtaposition between the overwhelming feelings Laura and Alec have for each other, and the brutal reality of a love that was never meant to be. Carefully directed by Robert Kirby, at times Lake Adebisi and McIntyre verge on melodrama in their delivery, and this slight hysteria only heightens our awareness of the futility of the affair.  

The  exceptional ensemble cast is completed by Oliver Aston, Charles Angiama, Max Gallagher, Hanna Khogali and Kate Milner-Evans, all of whom bring great depth to the characters and bit parts they play, as well as showcasing their spectacular musical talents. All of the music throughout the play is performed live on stage by the cast. Hanna Khogali and Kate Milner-Evans are a joy to watch as Beryl and Mrs Bagot, bringing some much-needed comical relief from the emotional turmoil of the protagonists. 

The use of foley sound to create the shows sound effects is not only a clever nod to the filmic history of the story, but an engaging and often comical way of reminding the audience that we are merely voyeurs of this doleful tale. Designer Harry Pizzey has done an excellent job in making the compact playing space feel intimate, while portraying a range of locations from train station tea room to rowboat on the river. 

This production of Brief Encounter is a must see.  Maybe Laura and Alec weren’t meant to be but once again, the team at The Watermill have produced a show that feels like a masterclass in theatrical storytelling, combining all elements of the production beautifully, and leaving the audience wanting more. 

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Sarah Brown

Brief Encounter runs at The Watermill Theatre until Saturday 13 November and tickets can be purchased here.