Alchemy in the UK, The Nuffield (From Daily Echo)

Alchemy in the UK, The Nuffield

10:09am Thursday 27th October 2011 in Stage Reviews By Lorelei Reddin, Entertainments Editor

BANKSY’s magic mural in Southampton may now be history, but the message behind it remains.

The stark image of a monochrome child holding a red balloon, inset, which forms part of the phrase No Future, soon whitewashed from a wall in Bevois Valley, inspired this new play currently receiving its world premiere run at The Nuffield.

Rising star Maggie Nevill, one of Southampton’s own, writes with understanding and surprising wit on the subjects of recession, reinvention and recycling.

A cast of just five, on an evocative rubbish dump set, brilliantly bring to life the issue of redundancy and its effect on family life.

John Bowler is particularly perfectly cast as the central figure Brian who rants his way through endless interviews and visits to the job centre.

Tiff (Eleanor Yates) makes a wonderful stroppy yet sweet teenager and mother Clair (Julia Righton) just wants to be anywhere else.

Then there’s the touching relationship between Jack, a dying former docker carried off exceptionally by Geoffrey Freshwater, and his son Kelloggs, the inner punk captured beautifully by Paul Wyett.

There are some wonderful directional touches from Patrick Sandford, not least the larger than life Anne Robinson who bursts out of TV screens.

This is a topical, humorous and thought-provoking look at family life in modern Britain.

The audience to a man laughed through political ramblings and cheered loudly through several curtain calls.

This play could go far. Another superb Banksy legacy.

Alchemy in the UK runs until Saturday.