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Once in a while you see a play that genuinely perplexes you. Who can it possibly be for? 'Letting in Air' is a two hour misery-fest played out between deeply irritating characters, subjected by director and designer to some of the worst stagecraft I've seen on the fringe for some time. Adam and Olivia have moved back to Manchester to be nearer Adam's parents. Except his mum commits suicide a week before his return.His dad, Frank, then meets a (homeless? autistic?) teenager, Amy, who wants to look after him.It then emerges that Frank isn't actually Adam's dad, but that his mother had been raped and he was the result. Cue some clueless soul-searching from Adam, a bit of rapey behaviour of his own, and an eventual, somewhat crowbarred father-son reconciliation.It's hard to imagine who would want to see this, even if it were done well. For the most part, this isn't. It's either Ibsen with the Shock Revelationô in dramatically the wrong place, or resolution comedy where the happy end feels horribly inappropriate. The performances do at least come together in the second half, the actors are certainly committed and the final few scenes are actually quite touching, but it's far too little, and much too late.
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What is 'following'?The rather ramshackle Old Red Lion pub theatre was founded in 1979 and has since staged fresh and emerging talent in into micro upstairs venue....
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I can't believe this review. I really enjoyed the play. I laughed and cried, as did all the other members of the audience. The characters of Amy and Frank were fantastic. It is really worth going to see.
An extraordinary review! As a previous comment says, must have been a different play! One wonders what sort of hidden angst was motivating the reviewer, and that he had too much identification with one of the characters. Certainly, the character of Adam, as a sulky, irrational and immature young man, may have struck some chords! This is a good play, written by a promising playwright whose work I've seen and enjoyed in the past. It examines the relationship between a father and son well, through some sensitive and convincing acting by a strong cast, especially the older male lead, and the young girl. The set is good, and the directing brings out the best in the plot. I'm off to see it again, just to show moral support!
A shame your critic didn't connect with this play.I laughed and so did the people all around me. I was moved by it and they seemed to be too.
I know theatre criticism is subjective but this review runs counter to all the others I've read as well as my own experience of a special evening. Don't be put off!!
You must have been seeing a different play! This was a sensitive & thoughtful production that avoided the banal & obvious resolutions- perhaps that was what you were missing???
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