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A Slight Ache/The Lover

Published Thursday 12 May 2005 at 10:50 by Mike Martin

A Slight Ache begins this double bill of early Pinter plays with a long sequence accentuating the mundane behaviour of a couple, Flora and Edward, notably the latter’s pedantic hang-ups. Much is made of the killing of a wasp for instance, with Edward turning it into a military operation, which is somehow symbolic of his character.

Idle chat turns into virtual paranoia when an old matchseller is noticed hanging about outside their house. Invited in, in a thinly veiled ploy by the couple to discover his identity, the old man is subjected to separate grillings which prove ultimately fruitless, as all attempts to provoke a reaction fail. Remaining silent and masked, this mysterious simpleton does not even respond to Flora’s sexual advances. Does he represent something from the past? Why does he evoke such irrational fear and suspicion?

The Lover is a lighter piece in many ways and certainly has more obvious laughs. Frank acceptance of infidelity between a staid, middle-class couple - Sarah and Richard - is beautifully handled within the cut and thrust of sharp, witty dialogue and David Roylance’s sensitive yet pacy direction. Various affairs get interwoven and complicated as guilt begins to inevitably raise its head, flying in the face of the formally long accepted cold logic of the situation. The comical choreography between the lovers, involving a drum, is very entertaining, along with nice touches such as the husband’s half mast trousers, the use of silhouettes behind screens and the atmospheric ambiance provided by exotic sixties music. Kate McDermott’s design and gradual transitions of lighting evoke the required mood.

John O’Connor provides a well-observed performance as Richard, along with a most watchable and subtle portrayal of the mute matchseller, expressing volumes with his eyes and body language. Simon Cole is convincing as the frustrated Edward and a cocky milkman but Caroline Trowbridge shines throughout as a charismatic performer. In the dual roles of Flora and Sarah, she proves herself an actress of considerable range, from her dramatic mood swings and expressive posture through to her spot-on comic timing.

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