Other Desert Cities
Old Vic
Reviewed on Monday 24th March 2014
A family come together on Christmas Eve and before too long the atmosphere turns sour.
When your parents are showbiz royalty, your brother just wants a quiet Christmas and your aunt is a recovering alcoholic, it's hardly the best idea to present a memoir you have been writing for the past six years which reveals a pivotal moment in your families painful and explosive past to the world. However, that is exactly what Brooke Wyeth (played by the incredible Martha Plimpton) decides to do, providing the perfect recipe for a grippingly fierce piece of theatre, delving into a family's dark past and revealing some hidden secrets.
Other Desert Cities is the first play in a new season of productions at the Old Vic which sees the prestigious venue presented in-the-round (first seen for The Norman Conquests in 2008). Regular attendees of the theatre will discover that the auditorium is almost unrecognisable but the layout works a treat. The change of layout certainly enhances the experience and adds to the intensity of Lindsay Posner's production.
Jon Robin Baitz’s play is very human. Five real people take to the stage and the dynamic is particularly interesting as each family member deals with the situation completely differently. Sinead Cusack stars as Brooke's mother Polly who immediately turns on her daughter dishing out scathing remarks, whereas her husband Lyman (Peter Egan) seemingly can't cope and refuses to read the book. As mentioned, Brooke's brother, Trip (Daniel Lapaine), struggles to take sides and just wants an easy life while rebellious aunt, Silda Grauman (Clare Higgins), enjoys not being the one in trouble for a change.
The play kicks off to a slow start and takes a while for action to progress. The first act could probably be condensed into something much shorter as every detail is dwelled on which is, at times, unnecessary. Jon Robin Baitz's writing is wickedly funny, the almost awkward comedy only adds to the anticipation and it appears clear that not all is as it seems.
Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
Other Desert Cities runs at the Old Vic until Saturday 24th May 2014.
Please visit www.oldvictheatre.com for further information and tickets.
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