Review: LOOK BACK IN ANGER, Almeida Theatre
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
Some plays lose their power and resonance especially after seventy years of social and political change. Look Back in Anger still represents a landmark in British theatre. In the mid-50s, genteel plays gave way to gritty kitchen sink dramas that pulled no punches. John Osborne was at the vanguard of playwrights known as the 'angry young men'. The Royal Court premiered the play in 1956 and inspired a new generation of writers that included Harold Pinter and Kingsley Amis. This new production, directed by Atri Banerjee, gives Osborne's finest work a new airing.
Jimmy Porter (Billy Howle) runs a sweet shop but is strangled by the austerity of post-war Britain. He vents his frustration on long suffering wife Alison (Ellora Tochia). Working class Jimmy feels a mixture of envy and disgust that Alison has enjoyed a privileged upbringing. Lodger Cliff Lewis (Iwan Davies) is constantly berated by Jimmy but forms an alliance with Alison. She later shares a secret with Cliff who urges her to tell Jimmy. Alison's friend Helena (Morfydd Clark) comes to stay as Jimmy's behaviour begins to worsen. Helena pleads with Alison to leave Jimmy and make a fresh start. She enlists the help of Alison's father Colonel Redfern (Deka Walmsley) who arrives to rake over the past and whisk her off to a new life.
With modern sensibilities, it's surprising that the play is still in production. Jimmy Porter is the most unsympathetic of characters and revels in undiluted misogyny. He resents Alison's upbringing and treats his friend Cliff like a verbal punchbag. Yet, there is something compelling about each and every character. Alison is downtrodden and resigned but determined to survive. Helena is the brave soul who stands up to Jimmy and gets the measure of him. Cliff is the willing sap who will acquiesce to Jimmy's whims. Alison's father Colonel Redfern longs for his army days in the Raj, but since partition feels a shadow of his former self.
We might pretend the Jimmy Porters of this world belong to a bygone age, and have since been banished by more enlightened attitudes. However, set in a period drama, the character feels sadly contemporary. The cast led by Billy Howle and Ellora Torchia provide the very definition of powerhouse acting. However, the incidental music is obtrusive and drowns the atmosphere, particularly at the beginning of each act. It feels like an improvised jazz piece that borders on white noise. This fails to enhance the natural tension generated by the play. That minor quibble aside, this is an excellent production that represents the very best of British theatre.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Brian Penn
Look Back in Anger plays at the Almeida Theatre until 23 November - get your tickets now!
