Letting in Air

This event has now finished Until Sat Nov 28 Old Red Lion Theatre, 418 St John St, EC1V 4NJ Full details & map

Theatre: Fringe

Time Out says 

Posted: Tue Nov 17 2009

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.

Old Red Lion Theatre details

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418 St John St, EC1V 4NJ

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5 comments Add a comment

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.

Posted by Ellie Seary on Nov 22 2009 9:22pm

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!

Posted by Andrew Pinder on Nov 22 2009 12:38pm

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.

Posted by susan pleat on Nov 20 2009 5:34am

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!!

Posted by chris wright on Nov 19 2009 8:27am

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???

Posted by sue tyrrell on Nov 18 2009 10:16pm

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