REVIEW - EVELYN - SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE -

The small seaside town of Walton-on-the-Naze gains a new resident in the form of Sandra (Nicola Harrison).

Having responded to an advert placed by Jeanne (Rula Lenska), an older woman living in a retirement community, Sandra finds a new place to live on the condition that she lie about being Jeanne’s goddaughter. We quickly learn Sandra has no problem with lying and is in fact quite skilled at it. The audience are left wondering if perhaps how she knows Jeanne isn’t the only lie she’s telling.

It is revealed that Sandra is not actually Sandra at all but Evelyn Mills, the wife of a child murderer who was herself imprisoned for giving a false alibi for her husband. After being given a new identity and trying to start a new life, Evelyn then becomes caught up in the lies she tells and is found out by the residents of Walton, including a nurse of Jeanne’s, Laura (Yvette Boakye), and Laura’s brother Kevin (Offue Okbedge), with whom Evelyn starts a relationship.

The play brings up many different contentious points from abuse to dementia and the savagery of mob justice. But it doesn’t seem to give enough time to any to really flesh out a point of view or a meaningful commentary. There are also lots of little jokes made throughout the play and while many do land, the awkwardness of those that don’t was palpable. Perhaps a more aggressive edit of the script would solve both of these problems and allow the great potential the play has to flourish properly.

The acting overall was good but not consistent. Boakye stood out with an impressively complex and emotional performance that stole my attention whenever she appeared on stage. Harrison and Lenska had compelling moments alone but often in scenes together they seemed to be less reacting to each other and more reciting the script from memory.

The premise of the play is an interesting one but the final product leaves us wanting more.

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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