REVIEW: The Thrill of Love
Titchfield Festival Theatre, St Margaret's Arts Centre
RUTH Ellis will always enjoy iconic status as the last woman to be executed in England, who suffered a level of abuse that was accepted even by herself, in the days before we recognised how shockingly commonplace it has become.
By the cold blue light of Rob King's lighting design, Director Richard Hackett's production of Amanda Whittington's play immerses us in 1950's London's nightclub and 'hostess' scene - with Billie Holliday's music feeding our notions of Ellis's romantic yearnings.
Well supported by the other women in her world - Emma Jeans' charwoman, Zia McBean's Sylvia Shaw, and Jenny Bradshaw's young hopeful Vickie Martin - Ruth (Lou Mannell) is a compelling mixture of awkwardness and reserve who effectively resists the aggressive attempts of Stuart Hibbard's Detective Inspector to penetrate the mystery of why she did what she did; and though the context is clear, the audience isn't given any definitive answers.
Ham Quentin
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