The Stage

A History of Falling Things

Published Thursday 30 April 2009 at 10:55 by Victor Hallett

Keraunothnetophobia is the fear of man-made satellites falling out of the sky. If that seems an unlikely starting point for a play then it’s an even more startling one for a romantic comedy.

Robin is the children’s book writer who suffers from it and he has an unhealthy awareness of all the other things that have been known to fall from the heavens, which is why he can never leave his room. One day he makes internet contact with Jacqui, also room-bound from a fear of falling objects. They actually live very close to each other but can only meet via their web-cams. Their relationship does develop, but where can it possibly go?

James Graham’s new play is a sheer delight. As a romantic comedy it is touchingly romantic and very funny without ever allowing you to forget the debilitating effect of living with what to others seem absurd fears.

Sion Pritchard and Katie McGuinness are totally believable and completely winning as the two sufferers in love who seem destined never actually to see each other in the flesh. Di Botcher and Ifan Huw Dafydd give strong support as his mother and her father.

Mark Bailey’s set cleverly shows us the two rooms with a chasm between them and it also has many surprises in store, with a final picture of utter enchantment.

Kate Wasserberg gets off to a great start as the theatre’s New Plays Director. This is a rich production of an enormously entertaining, heart-warming and funny play.