By Luke Unger, third year English
Luke Unger reviews Bristol Dramsoc's The Lyons, a two-part dark comedy surrounding the final stages of father and husband, Ben Lyons', life.
Sitting down, we are directly confronted by a stark, 1950s hospital bed. Surrounding the bed hang ‘get well soon cards’ and above it in bold letters, the name of Mr. Lyons. The audience can immediately see the dualities of this play before it has even begun - the sinister image of the empty rusty hospital bed frame unavoidably invokes ideas of suffering and death, contrasted by the ironic ‘get well soon’ cards. This is a play that is uniquely self-conscious, exploring the finality of death and interrogating family values through the dark humour of playwright Nicky Silver.
The play begins with the lights dimmed to black, which then flash back on with all the highlighted beauty of the ASS library at 1 A.M. Sitting in the bed is Ben Lyons, an old Jewish man who we discover is dying of cancer, played by Dramsoc veteran Elliot Brett. Around him are his wife and children, Rita, Curtis and Lisa, played by Freya McCoy, Zak Asgard and Kate Ramsden respectively.
We quickly enter into the play's hilariously crafted dialogue, as Rita discusses how she will change the living room after Ben dies, with Ben staunchly refusing her with a barrage of profanity. Both Brett and McCoy deliver their lines with impeccable timing, conveying a sour relationship that has been tested, frayed over time and broken beyond repair.
"this is a play that is uniquely self-conscious, exploring the finality of death and interrogating family values"
In these initial opening scenes, and indeed throughout the play’s entirety, attention must be drawn to McCoy’s performance of Rita. It would certainly be limiting to judge her performance off of her accent alone, but it was refreshing to hear one so flawless maintained throughout the entirety of the play. Initially, I didn’t understand why McCoy’s hair hadn't been greyed, but as the play progressed, I quickly realised there was no need. She embodied the role brilliantly, acting to a level of professionalism rarely seen in university productions.
"a sour relationship that has been tested, frayed over time and broken beyond repair"
The play continues with the arrival of Lyons’ two children, Lisa, the overly dramatic daughter and Curtis, the ‘mummy’s boy’. Both Asgard and Ramsden’s performances were commendable, each conveying the narcissistic family values in all their glory, although at some points there was a struggle to connect to a couple of their more emotional admissions, due to the unrelenting toxicity they brought to their characters. For the most part, the play hangs off the fractured dialogue and foot-in-mouth comments between Rita and her children, with Ben chiming in behind them with a comedic prowess that steals most of the big laughs from the audience.
"the play hangs off the fractured dialogue and foot-in-mouth comments between Rita and her children"
While Brett hits every one liner with as much accuracy as (insert sport simile here), his hilarious presentation of Ben in no way limits the heartfelt conversation with Curtis in the mid-section of the play. Brett conveys an image of a man who on the outside is ready for death, having seen the world for what it is and is unafraid to explain it as such, but within has his doubts. Brett plays the character with a fairly aggressive edge, but this in no way takes away from the father's moments of deep sentimentality.
"The Lyons has a lot to say, and perhaps one play is just not enough to properly explore the themes it touches upon"
The scene following the interval feels a little drawn out, with the dialogue often snatching and sharp. This is no large fault of the production, but perhaps more the playwright, who is known to have cut extra scenes from the play as it went on performing at Broadway. The Lyons has a lot to say, and perhaps one play is just not enough to properly explore the themes it touches upon.
The Lyons is undoubtedly a resounding success. Equally resounding praise must go to director Alex O’Donell, for orchestrating a play which shows audience members that Dramsoc is still a theatrical force to be reckoned with.
★★★★
(Featured image credits: Unsplash / Marcelo Leal)
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