The Night Season by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, directed by Adrian Rawlins at East Riding Theatre

The compact stage at the East Riding Theatre has never been used to convey such varied scenes and scenery - it's a living room in County Sligo in the Republic of Ireland, a library, two different bedrooms, a pub, a beach, a street. The action has to spill out from the stage to increase the available space occasionally, but that also increases the level of involvement you have with the characters in the play. 

There are 7 actors in the play, but 10 characters, one who is key, but, although absent for 10 years, still impacts on the behaviour her husband, Patrick, daughters Judith, Rose and Maud and mother, the aforementioned Lily. This is the Kennedy family; rubbing along together whilst in search of love (familial and sexual) and acceptance as reflected in the title of the play, which comes from Psalm 22 verse 2 "O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent" (King James Bible). The English Standard Version translates this as ' O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest'. 

Night-time does play an important part in this drama. Turning up, shoeless, one evening, is actor John Eastman (Gabriel Winter) who will be staying with the Kennedy family whilst making a film about Yeats. Lily, named after Marlene, (Lynne Verrall) is still awake when he arrives. Although clearly dotty (a 'lunatic' is how she is described by her son-in-law, Patrick, played with great comic eccentricity by Clive Kneller), she sees John as a means of escape and, just perhaps, the opportunity for one last fling before death eventually claims her. When Rose (Alice Beaumont) and Maud (Evie Guttridge) meet John, they have similar desires, even though Maud has a boyfriend, Kevin. Their older sister, librarian Judith, meanwhile seeks to rekindle her romance with aloof, chess-playing Gary (Josh Meredith) while Dad, Patrick, lusts after an unseen busty barmaid. 

The dialogue is witty and often quite explicit but it echoes real life in that unsaid expectations can cloud everyone's judgement. It is the kind of play where you do become emotionally involved with the characters and their situations. The Kennedy family are real - when Rose is hurt, you feel her hurt; when Judith is rejected, you feel her pain and when the actors had tears in their eyes after an upsetting event, I found that I did, too!  But there is hope. Lily, for all her faults and strange comments such as 'Married men smell like rubber!' is as wise as her years and perhaps her desire for love impacts even on the selfish and promiscuous John.  

I had not heard of Rebecca Lenkiewicz before seeing this play but can completely understand the reason why she won 'The Critics Circle Most Promising Playwright Award' in 2004 and why ERT's new Artistic Director, Adrian Rawlins, chose this play as his first production. There is never a dull moment and the Irish wit is just a joy. The audience on the first night were VERY appreciative and I'm sure, many of them, like me, will be going to see it again. 

The Night Season runs until March 25th.

Just Beverley would like to express their thanks to Gavin Prest Photography for the use of his images.