THEATRE REVIEW: Falling Out With the Joneses, Liverpool Actors Studio

Apr 29 2008 by Peter Grant, Liverpool Daily Post

Playwright Scott Murphy _320

THERE are three plays struggling to get out of this Actor’s Studio production - the first full-length dramatic outing by 29- year-old Scott Murphy.

This graduate from the Every- man and Playhouse theatres Young Writers programme seems to have crammed in a comedy, a stark discussion piece on terror- ism and a Brookside type soap .

It can’t make up its mind what it wants to be which is a pity because there is clear potential in the idea. It centres on the dysfunctional Jones family, who spend the weekend in Grandad’s cosy nuclear bunker. Unfortunately, it’s more claustrophobic than comforting for this "Bread-styled" clan.

The key figures are Ron and unloved son Jack – a Goth – who left to go to London. His mum, Marg, went to bring him back but was tragically killed in a bus bombing. Already, you can see there is too much happening, and the dark scenario does not sit well with the sometimes meandering dialogue. Emma Harding’s Paula is believable throughout as she dreams her life away hoping for a proposal from boyfriend Chris (Jamie Cousins).

Grandad, played by Joe McKeown, is an affable old chap who has a secret motive for placing all the family in this bunker – reconciliation.

Pauline Daniels plays Marg as a ghost returning for one last dance with Ron. Pauline directs and stars and she fleshes out the character with her usual aplomb.

I’d like to see this production with some sharp editing; the loss of some super- fluous scenes and a set without so many chairs blocking the cast.

Scott Murphy has a decent comedy play in there with some good one-liners. But it is a hit and miss affair. The accent should be more on the soap-like scenes which are the hits of this 90 minute (with an interval) work.

The misses are caused by the insubstantial political debate suited more to a bar room.

Full credit once again, however, to the Actor’s Studio for giving new writing and acting talent a platform.