Tea in a China Cup review

Forty years ago, the shocking anti-Catholic rhetoric, mouthed by Marie Jones’ Grandmother and her sharp-tongued sidekick Maisie (Katie Tumelty), formed the main source of the play’s broad humour. In changed circumstances, however, it lands uneasily, prompting ripples of knowing laughter. 

Mary Moulds’s warm-hearted Sarah is a touchingly selfless presence. Louise Parker’s spirited Theresa is the token Catholic, seizing her chance in the deceptively bright lights of London. Amy Molloy effectively builds the key character of Beth from a dutiful, impressionable girl to a confident young woman finding her way in the world. 

The early action unfolds via a series of snappy, cameo moments, punctuated by salty observations, unashamed nostalgia and a trio of surreal characters, gleefully played by Maria Connolly.  After the interval, the pace slows to allow considered exploration of what it means to be a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend at a crucial time for a community that feels increasingly undermined by the emergence of the educated ‘other side’.  

Chris Warner’s soundscape – childhood songs, street riots and marching bands – creates a palpable sense of place, while Gordon’s casting decisions are wisely made. Jones and Tumelty combine mischievously, like a practised music hall act. 

While the play may be trapped in its own time warp, it has been imaginatively repackaged for a modern-day audience. It comes framed in Ciáran Bagnall’s multi-faceted, split-level set and shadowy lighting, with Gillian Lennox’s costuming recalling generations of women who, for so long, looked and dressed like their elders.

Still very much a play of its time, there is much about this revival that connects fondly with audiences. The Lyric has found good reason to bring it back, in memory of an important writer, lost too soon.

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