The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CultureTheatre

A Broken Rose by Sarah Goddard

A Broken Rose by Sarah Goddard | Theatre review
15 September 2012
Claire Mitchell
Avatar
Claire Mitchell
15 September 2012

The production by Sarah Goddard tells the story of a young girl’s harrowing descent into mental illness, as she replaces reality with a delusional world of fairytales. Surrounded by a fragmented family, still staggering after the death of her father, she is forced to find an escape. In contrast to her mother, who chooses alcohol to numb life, Maria chooses a fantasy world and childhood stories. The boundaries of reality and apparition become hazy to Maria as she starts to listen to her visions and conjure images of princesses and imaginary fairies (“sun” and “moon”) in her mind. At the impressionable age of 13, lonely Maria clings to the only thing she can: her father and his fantastical stories from her upbringing.

The play is carried impressively by Louisa Lytton (Maria); the feisty EastEnders actress is transformed on stage, acting convincingly as she validates her embryonic career. Playing a girl ten years younger than herself, she malleably embodies the role of a lost and extremely naïve teenager eager to please and protect her mother, only to be continuously opposed and undermined. Her character is strong but vulnerable, and her protectiveness towards her mother, who will not give her any attention, is very touching.

The only strength within the story comes from Maria’s psychiatrist (Nicholas Boulton). Determined to fix their broken home, he tries to combat the alcoholism, violence and delusions that run rife through the household. At the heart of each form of escapism lies the loneliness of each character as they battle against each other, rather than come together. This makes for an unsettling story, and very difficult acting at times. Nicola Wright, as Maria’s mother, is inebriated for much of the story, and she depicts the irritable, depressive victim of domestic abuse disturbingly at times.

The set is circular, but cleverly manipulated to ensure that all seats are incorporated equally within the drama. It is not an easy play to watch at times. Sarah Goddard constantly tries to balance the inexperience of youth and the corruptness of experience, and incorporates way too many issues into the squat drama. There is also a strong lack of humour and often the sense that characters are saying things that contradict their natures. Occasionally there was a forced ripple of laughter out of the wooden audience, but unfortunately the play sometimes felt like an obligation rather than an enjoyment.

It is worth seeing, despite occasional histrionic moments and discrepancies within the script. The fantastical touch will not be to everyone’s taste, but the coarse reality of a family delving in escapism, and the disturbing effect of domestic violence and bereavement on a receptive teenager, are issues that are relevant, and grounded in authenticity.

Verdict: ••••

Claire Mitchell

For further information or to book tickets for this play, click here.

Related Items

More in Theatre

Berberian Sound Studio at the Donmar Warehouse

★★★★★
Mersa Auda
Read More

Tobacco Road

★★★★★
Daniel McLeod
Read More

The American Clock at the Old Vic

★★★★★
Connor Campbell
Read More

Edward II at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

★★★★★
Georgie Cowan-Turner
Read More

Babylon Beyond Borders at the Bush Theatre

★★★★★
Marissa Khaos
Read More

Can-Can! at Union Theatre

★★★★★
Sophia Moss
Read More

Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

Rip It Up: The 60s at Garrick Theatre

★★★★★
Ezelle Alblas
Read More

Pinter Seven at the Harold Pinter Theatre

★★★★★
Rosamund Kelby
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Babylon Beyond Borders at the Bush Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Kid Who Would Be King
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Rip It Up: The 60s at Garrick Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Mr Jones
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Bastille at Brixton Academy
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Berlin Film Festival 2019: Awards predictions and highlights from the festival
    Berlinale
  • Malene Oddershede Bach autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • ROBERTS | WOOD autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Cassey Gan autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • “Frustration for creation is very good”: Director Teona Strugar Mitevska on the the local scandal that inspired God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya
    Berlinale
  • Berlin Film Festival 2019: Awards predictions and highlights from the festival
    Berlinale
  • “Frustration for creation is very good”: Director Teona Strugar Mitevska on the the local scandal that inspired God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya
    Berlinale
  • “As a director, I feel that there’s a dance where you examine social changes, and how you are to an extent sceptical or critical – that’s part of your fundamental mission”: An interview with So Long, My Son director Wang Xiaoshuai
    Berlinale
  • Berberian Sound Studio at the Donmar Warehouse
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Marighella
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale

Instagram

Something is wrong.
Instagram token error.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

Sister | Movie review
Sonnymoon – Sonnymoon | Album review