Thought-provoking show weaves seafaring folklore with modern family dynamics
Thickskin and Pentabus present Driftwood by Tim Foley, directed by Neil Bettles (Thickskin) and Elle White (Pentabus) at The Belgrade B2 Stage from 11 – 12 March.
Review by Annette Kinsella
Liminal spaces are the familiar yet slightly off-kilter places that exist in a state of transition. Sometimes known as ‘in-between zones’, they inspire a sense of unease or uncanny – the kind of spot that induces an involuntary shiver down the spine or the sense that someone has walked over your grave. Think a supermarket car park at night, a petrol station at dawn or an abandoned playground – a place that started out with purpose but does not fulfil that function now.
A desolate beach in a declining northern coastal town in winter is a perfect liminal space. Neither one thing or another, it hangs suspended between its past vitality as an industrial dockland and seaside resort and its current bleakness and isolation. This juxtaposition between past vitality and present solitude makes the perfect setting for the new play from ThickSkin and Pentabus Productions, Tim Foley’s Driftwood, currently at the Belgrade Theatre.
The narrative follows Mark and Tiny, two brothers struggling to negotiate the impending death of their father against an uncompromising coastal landscape. Mark (James Westphal) is the elder brother that escaped the patriarchal father who could not accept his sexuality. Still unable to confront past emotional hurts, he throws himself into practical funeral arrangements. In stark contrast, Tiny (Jerome Yates) has a strong connection with marine folklore. Having devoted himself to caring for their father, he falls apart as he waits for the mythical Mariner god to lay his soul to rest.
Both parts are masterfully played, bringing to life the human desire to seek meaning from death. But the third character in the play is undoubtedly the driftwood-strewn set, which reflects the emotional turbulence of the brothers as they grapple with their father’s – and their own – mortality. Cinematic projections of the seascape and the town’s horizons reflect the dynamics of the brothers’ relationship, moving from static to brutal to calm as they find their own peace. Hats off to the light, video and sound team (Charlie Dunford. Lee Affen and Sarah Readman).
The conclusion is neat and elegant, as one brother swaps the savage north-east coast for a tropical beach, while the other uses the driftwood discarded by the sea to set up a bar business, breathing new life into their hometown.
Overall, this was a well-acted and professional performance, adeptly weaving the pressure of modern-day relationships and economics with the mystery of ancient folklore. Thought-provoking.
More information and tickets: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/driftwood/
