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| In Praise of Love |
Lydia, the wife, is suffering from terminal leukaemia and while she is trying to shield her husband Sebastian from her imminent death, he is also trying to protect her from the severity of her illness.
And that is the rub of In Praise of Love, one of Rattigan's last plays, which investigates how love can become blighted by lack of communication.
The problem with the play is that the characters do not generate much sympathy in the first act. That should not be the case because we know early on that Lydia has suffered terribly in the past, although the full extent of it is not revealed until the second act.
Sebastian comes over as self-absorbed and hopeless in the face of even minor domestic dramas and their long-term friend Mark Walters is merely a lightweight.
All that changes in the second act which is far more compelling and reveals a depth to the characters previously unseen. Unfortunately it seemed to come a bit too late for the audience on Saturday, several of whom did not return after the interval.
Fenella Adams as Lydia displays an excellent grip of the Estonian accent which she manages to retain throughout. She copes well with a demanding role and is particularly convincing in the first act when she appears to be drunk.
But David Goldman as Sebastian is clearly most comfortable in his part and he puts in an admirable performance - one of those which is so good that you completely forget that he is acting.
His revelation in the second act that Lydia's concern for him is matched by his anxiety for her is incredibly moving and his rapprochement with his son Joey, a fine performance from Adam Dale, is equally masterful.
Tony Sidoli makes up the cast as the best-selling novelist Mark but it is not enough of a part for him to really get his teeth into.
Dorie Steward, one of the Company of Ten's most-assured directors, steers the production smoothly towards its moving conclusion - and it is a conclusion worth waiting for.
In Praise of Love runs until Saturday 17 June in the Abbey Theatre Studio and tickets can be obtained from 01727 857861.
MADELEINE BURTON
© Herts Advertiser 2006. Reproduced by permission