Courtesy of Manuel Harlan.
There are few monumental events that can bring long lost relatives together, a wedding – typically a joyous occasion full of laugher, tears and everything in between. Memorable moments and revelations factors observed in Beth Steel‘s hearty drama Till the Stars Come Down currently playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Meandering between the confrontational and the comical, Steel crafts an honest encounter. Plus ones to the party – we observe the familial spats behind the scenes as Sylvia (Sinéad Matthews) the bride gets ready for her wedding day and her siblings Maggie (Aisling Loftus) and Leanne (Ruby Thompson) bold forces brought back together to celebrate their sister’s nuptials. Although the day revolves around Sylvia and Marek (Julian Kostov) her husband to be, the day really is a reflection on the family as a whole – the past, confronting the now and family dynamics elements integral to the day.
Bijan Sheibani frames a chaotic yet contained portrait of a family. Samal Blak‘s slick astro-turfed stage the blueprint to various scenarios that follow – a room, reception hall, dance floor, country grounds all adorned with the glimmer of a disco ball. The afternoon feels episodic, I think of Coronation Street in terms of location and overall atmosphere, ensemble scenes as well as duets miniature stories that in themselves can be explored further.
Steel’s characters are complex, they say and do things that cause pain to others and themselves, but yet you root for them. There’s a hope that beyond the wedding, issues can resolve and that the obvious family bond wins overall. A show that forces you to think of what matters most and to priotise those who are always there for you.
Review written by Lucy Basaba.
Till the Stars Come Down is currently showing until Saturday 27th September at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. To find out more about the production, visit here…
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