Home at Seven, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - review
Elite Productions present R C Sherriff's Home at Seven at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this week, staring Coronation Street villain Brian Capron and star of the classic '90's sitcom As Time Goes By, Jenny Funnell.
David and Janet Preston are a happily married couple with set daily routines, one of which is that dinner is on the table at seven o'clock, in time for David's return from work each evening. But, when David returns home one night to find Janet in tears and distress as he has been missing for exactly 24 hours, he realises he is unable to account for the time lapse. Things get worse when evidence incriminates David in a murder which occurred during the time he had been missing. Has he done the evil deed, or is there a perfectly simple explanation?
Home at Seven has all the makings of a perfectly formed thriller and as it is penned by the writer of Journey's End, you would expect a similar standard of script and at least a clever twist to the plot, but sadly not so.
The experienced cast are clearly totally committed to presenting the very best possible version of this somewhat dull play and move the production along at pace. David Janson's direction is strong and the characterisations robust, but the dated script and "all around the houses" storyline proved to be too time consuming to hold my attention.
Brian Capron is perfectly cast in the role of the confused husband David and delivers a natural performance with ease, while Jenny Funnell is every inch the anguished wife, though I suspect she is capable of taking on far more hearty roles than this one.
There is a an amusing performance by Steven Wickham as Major Watson, the so called good friend who runs with the hares and the hounds when questioned by the police and a strong portrayal of Dr. Sparling by Matthew Hebden.
Set in the late 1940's the period scenery is authentic and Liam Pike's lighting effects create a sinister air at just the right moments, breaking up the monotony of the one set production.
I guess the author is trying to show his audience that any man could be proved guilty even if he is completely innocent, if the circumstances surrounding his accusation are interpreted incorrectly, but for me, it took some time for the morale of the story to become clear.
A bit like wading through treacle, but a great cast and worth a look providing you are prepared to get stuck in and accept the tedium of the script.
Runs until Saturday. Call 01902 429212 or visit www.grandtheatre.co.uk for tickets.
By Alison Norton
