Absent Friends

Colin Richmond's beautiful and purposeful set grants the cast a perfect platform for Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends. This light comedy from 1974 safely plays to the Coliseum's trusted audience. In 2010, a burst of new writing in British theatre might have given the play a familiarity which feels formulaic; nonetheless it's a formula which works with laughs in all the right places, and awkward social questions of marriage, love and morals left with the audience.

Poppy Tierney, playing Evelyn, teases the audience pre-curtains, decorating the stage with sultry movements and promises of an enticing evening. We are introduced to the remaining five characters one by one, culminating in the welcome entrance of David Crellin, playing Colin, who steals the show with his grounded playing of the bereaved fiancé.

Ayckbourn, well-known for his juxtaposing of tragic situations and delicate comedy, marries Evelyn and John in this play – two very different characters. Tierney's dedication to the apathy of Evelyn coupled with Dominic Gately's overplaying of the unhinged character of John left that particular relationship inaccessible. Steven Pinder's talented playing of Paul, the unsatisfied husband come adulterer, successfully highlights a certain pessimism toward marriage via the initial subtext of jovial banter with Diana (Kerry Peers), Marge (Samantha Giles) and John (Gately). Said pessimism is illuminated all the more tragically in light of Crellin's believable and heart warming outlook on life in light of absent friends.