‘Hansard’ review
‘definitely… a performance to be remembered.‘
Hansard, a kitchen drama following the dispute of Tory politician Roin Hesketh and his wife Diana, where light political teasing escalates into a brutal conflict, is made an incredibly powerful piece on political hypocrisy, at once intimate and universal, under Felicity Rickard’s direction.
The production is delightfully slick, with actors Tristan Betts and Estelle Pollard-Cox delivering powerfully realised characters, which convey incredible depth. The direction is masterfully subtle, as husband and wife stand off against each other – at every point, their characters are in juxtaposition, never able to occupy the same space, until the very end. Yet even then, their paths never fully align, capturing the uneasy nature of their attempted reconciliation.
Despite entering the theatre unfamiliar with Hansard, its exploration of the tumultuous socio-political landscape of Britain in the Thatcher years still feels unbelievably prescient, and an important play to be staged – exploring the impacts of Section 28, whilst also touching on economic policy and xenophobia. Neither Rickard nor the performers shy away from the importance and nuances of this conversation – Estelle Pollard-Cox’s Diana, delivered with impeccable diction, and a tone riddled with condescension towards her husband subtly foreshadows her character’s own hypocrisy, clinging to liberal values as a means to exonerate the guilt of her son’s death. Likewise, Tristan Betts’ Robin masters the patronising attitude of the Tory politician towards his wife, his body language being the perfect satire. Even his speech patterns add further emphasis to the voice he creates.
The chemistry created between husband and wife is dynamic and engaging – seamlessly alternating between witty sparring and evoking what feels to be a genuine lifetime of shared experiences. The pair carefully move towards showing the true cynicism and disconnect within their troubled marriage. The dynamic is strongest in their stichomythic dialogue, which is fast-moving and engaging. This kept the interactions and investment high, even when their debates began to feel slightly repetitive. Moreover, both actors shine with their comic timing – particularly Betts’ character’s eternal struggle with the fox in his garden – arousing many laughs from the audience. But the climax belongs to Pollard-Cox, who is able to finally dig the depths of her character’s emotions, powerfully performing a tearful monologue about her son, that it was hard not to feel the same depth of emotion sitting from the audience.
The pared-back performance space of the Mark Hillery Arts Centre feels like the perfect setting for this drama. The set is simple, yet incredibly intimate and charged with symbolism – the audience literally forms three of the walls of the home. This is an intrusion, it feels, on a genuine interaction between husband and wife. The table, which we are told was once a prized possession in this marriage, is placed at the back, buried under a clutter of cardboard boxes, treated with the same contempt as the husband and wife now show each other. The lighting choices are simple, yet naturalistic, reflecting this slice-of-life realism. The tape recorder effects stand out, demonstrating this character’s preoccupations with an idealised past – both within their relationship, but also in Betts’ character’s Conservatism. The choice to have just the audio effect and not a video acts as a particularly poignant reminder that this past is permanently out of reach. The costume choices are also effective in demonstrating this disconnected dynamic between husband and wife. Betts wears a suit that grows increasingly dishevelled – a mark of his failure to maintain a polished appearance, while Pollard-Cox dons a silk nightgown – a key motif, that evokes her troubled view of her sexuality within her marriage, and what her husband views as a failure to present an idea of a happy marriage. Credit must be given to the production team, of Ella Brannen, Zara Hossain and Megan Dunlop, managed by Cameron Howe, who helped make this simple drama so engaging.
Hansard is a definite must-watch, poignant and raw, with understatedly powerful performances. Its examination of a troubled body politic is well undoubtedly well-thought-through. While the pacing dips slightly in places, the catharsis of the final revelations is masterfully conducted, and definitely makes it a performance to be remembered.
By Milly Lovering.
Hansard is showing on Saturday 21st, and Sunday 22nd June at the Mark Hillery Arts Centre.