South Downs / The Browning Version Theatre Review

To celebrate the centenary of Terrence Rattigan€™s birth his estate has commissioned playwright David Hare to write a new companion piece to accompany Rattigan€™s one act masterpiece The Browning Version. Hare€™s new play, South Downs, premiered with The Browning Version at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester to rave reviews and now makes its transfer to the west end. South Downs and The Browning Version work very well together; Hare identifies key themes in Rattigan€™s work and constructs his own narrative to reflect these. Both plays centre on a socially awkward and lonely lead and the meaning and implication of rules within a ridged schooling system. Whilst both plays do share many common themes, it is also through their differences that the plays create a connection. Hare chooses to write about the boys at school, not the masters like Rattigan, and adds an interesting autobiographical element to South Downs. Even across an age and time divide (South Downs is set in 1962, whilst The Browning Version takes place in the late 1940€™s) Hare manages to construct within his lead Blakemore the same loneliness, anguish and social awkwardness that Rattigan bestrews to Crocker-Harris. Director Jeremy Herrin stages South Downs with as little fuss as possible; prop€™s are restricted to hand held items (such as toothbrushes and cigarettes) and the stage is mostly bare apart from tables and chairs. In comparison, Crocker-Harris€™ apartment in The Browning version is a busy academic space full of books, drink and papers. Neil Austin beautifully lights the stage in South Downs; Spotlights face down from the ceiling reminiscent of light catching through small windows in churches. It gives the whole play a terrific feel of dusty, empty space. Most of the adult cast share roles across both plays, which gives the performers the opportunity to really display their range. Anna Chancellor shines in both productions. As actress Belinda Duffield in South Downs she controls the room opposite Blakemore, as she casually lays out over a sofa in a loud, stylish blue dress, which nicely breaks the dull colours of Lancing College. In The Browning Version she again uses her body language well; after admitting to not having a maid to do their cooking, she takes every step to the dinner table carrying the evening meal as if it was a heavy burden. Her awkward posture not only confirms that she really was not brought up to cook (as she earlier observes), but also acts as a horrible put-down to her husband. Nicholas Farrell is superb as Andrew Crocker-Harris in The Browning Version; his emotional journey throughout the hour is remarkable, as he not only leads the audience down with Crocker-Harris, but right back up again. As the Rev Eric Dewley in South Downs he manages to in one soliloquy, with a little help from a subtle lighting move, bring the house to silence. The rest of the cast all fill their roles nicely, particularly Alex Lawther as the young Blakemore in South Downs and Mark Umbers as the arrogant but conscientious Frank Hunter in The Browning Version. There is no doubt that The Browning Version is a masterpiece, and David Hare€™s South Downs creates a great companion piece; I hope both plays remain together for a long time. Do go and see both these plays before they finish their run at The Harold Pinter Theatre, than go and see what is on in Chichester. The Browning Version: 5/5 South Downs: 4/5