Generous takes a sharp look at the human nature behind national political escapades.
'Generosity, moral courage, national pride: perfect ideals enacted by deeply imperfect people. What better source for comedy, for an event of theatre?'- Michael Healey
The writer of this political, comedy satire sure hit the nail on the head with that quip. Finborough Theatre is one of the most artfully intimate venues. It's not just small but effectively small. Sitting by (almost on) the performance area, which is surrounded on three sides by a total of around 30 people, you can't help but eagerly anticipate what will feel like immersion theatre but isn't really. The lights dim and you know that whatever happens next will happen right in your face.
Five sharp-looking men in suits storm into the room freaking out about their political defeat on a motion of non-confidence. Red in the face, swearing and sweating, they try and make sense of what's just happened, and what they have to do next. These men think they can save the world, but they sound like they've lost the plot and before long they end up with a dead body on their hands. Particularly hilarious in this scene is John Sheerman playing the fallen leader.
The script is elegantly sharp. The characters are overwhelmingly intriguing, each with their own distinct, though occasionally murky back story, motives and their often erroneous notions of what it means to help. Equally captivating are the dramatic entrances and the knowledge that so much drama is occurring offstage. As well as the ins and outs of overly eager politicians, we get to see the personal struggles of a high-powered judge who sleeps with one of her clerks and an oil executive, Julia, on the edge.
Karen Archer plays Maria, the wise but emotionally stunted arbiter with serious communication issues. Whilst trying to get him to leave her apartment, she unwittingly exposes her own flaws as she reluctantly plays therapist to her younger lover Alex, brilliantly portrayed by Richard Beanland. Licking his own wounds, Alex attempts to mend the rift between Maria and her estranged daughter whom he dated in college. Healey really shows off his talents here, keeping audiences captivated not just by the sharp words of wisdom from Julia but also Alex's drunken ramblings.
The structure is flawless, flicking back and forth between the present day and events at the time of the collapse of the government showing us that the acts that follow our desire to help are often difficult to understand sometimes makes things worse.
The play explores the concept of 'one-party' rule and the idea of a lack of opposition but predominantly, it examines the notion of our desires to help, to be compassionate and instances of unexplained altruism. Explaining a more personal root of the play, Healey has said that he used this piece to work out his own motives behind his actions in 2004 when he donated part of his liver to a fellow playwright, not one he knew particularly well.
As well as altruism, Healey makes a feature of communication or lack thereof. Each character has a chance to explain their thoughts on the things they don't say, the things they want to say, almost say but ultimately keep hidden. Not as political as you might think, we learn a little more about our inclination, nay, need, to bitch-out politicians after they fail at the near impossible job we've set them. As Alex says “we need people to be less than people sometimes”.
Brilliantly sharp and entertaining, definitely a must see for January.
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