By Graham Hiley.
Stars: 5/5
Anyone who has ever sat through the agony of waiting for a loved one to die will immediately identify with Eclipse at Chichester Minerva Theatre.
It sounds a grim subject for a play but this is powerful, moving and surprisingly funny.
Written and directed by W1A creator John Morton, it depicts a daughter who stayed and a son who moved away sitting in a kitchen making painful conversation with current or former partners as they anticipate their father’s last breath.
As he lies comatose in a neighbouring bedroom, we never actually see the man who was apparently best known for writing stories about Brian the Badger but now becomes Edward – the Elephant-not-in-the room!
He may not be on stage, but his presence is constant with the characters regularly asking “How is he?” when what they really want to know is “How long left?”
Not even the nurses or the doctor can quite bring themselves to ask the real question much less give an accurate answer to the sole thought on everyone’s mind.
The mono-syllabic responses are perfectly delivered especially by Sarah Parish (W1A) who frequently says nothing but in doing so says everything.
As anyone who has endured a similar ordeal will know, they fill time by eating too many biscuits to accompany the endless cups of tea which nobody wants – but just boiling a kettle provides some sense of purpose.
Similarly the characters try to distract themselves from the impending and inevitable end by going for frequent walks around the garden stunningly created on stage by Simon Higlett and exquisitely lit by Emma Chapman.
Amid inane chit-chat about yoghurt, traffic and a broken toaster, tensions rise with Morton’s deeply perceptive script depicting an ability to get wound-up by trivial issues to avoid talking about the one thing that matters most.
Even while waiting for his own father to die, Morton knew there was a play to be written and he captures the angst and the emotion quite brilliantly and with astute wit which makes this a truly beautiful watch.
The spiky script is wonderfully delivered. Parish is perfect as the sharp-tongued Sarah while Rupert Penry-Jones gets Jonathan’s unravelling just right alongside his former partner Nell (Mariam Haque).
Anyone who saw the talented Paul Thornley in the Cursed Child will instantly recognise his dry delivery in his role as Graham who struggles desperately to bring himself to join the others in The Room.
They are splendidly supported by Lizzie Hopley as Lancashire Linda and Selina Cadell as Karen – the two nurses who give so much care before briskly moving on to help the next family in need, a real circle of life moment.
Initially this did not sound an enticing premise for a play but this Chichester Festival Theatre production is a piece of art that will stay with you for a long time.
Eclipse runs at Chichester Minerva Theatre until June 6. cft.org.uk/events/eclipse
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