The Stage

Pyrenees

Published Thursday 17 March 2005 at 10:15 by Jenny Tweedie

David Greig has previously taken us to the high peaks but with Pyrenees he settles for the foothills. This intriguing tale delves deep into the issues of place and identity while four disparate and fascinating characters come to life amid curious circumstances.

The concept is simple enough. A man is found lying in the snow at the foot of the mountains with amnesia and a briefcase of money. Hugh Ross takes this man and imbues him with a sense of realistic ambiguity. He seems relaxed in his state of total ignorance, grasping at small straws of language to pin down his identity but not overly concerned with namelessness. Momentary emotional lapses are controlled and fleeting, putting him in sharp contrast to the various flighty and narcissistic characters who surround him.

When the truth finally arrives in the form of his wife Vivienne, the situation turns to one of denial and Paola Dionisotti has a lot of persuading to do, bringing poignancy to lines which, in other hands, could have sounded silly. It’s quite a challenge to try and convince a man he once joined a band of Norwegian Hell’s Angels.

The direction keeps a balance throughout, allowing Jonathan McGuinness’ Pedro to walk the line between comedy and creepy and Frances Grey’s Anna to elicit sympathy rather than scorn.

Even the scenery is underplayed - a wall of images kept hidden behind doors and windows except for fleeting glimpses. Could these be the images of a life misplaced somewhere in the snow?