The ties that bind… Thread, The Hope Theatre

A father with dementia, slowly disappearing in front of his two daughters who know that one day all his inconvenience will be as nothing compared to his absence and then, out of the blue, the threat of losing him in a way they never expected.

Freya Alderson’s play is post-Weinstein, Spacey and now even a prince… it addresses the issue of historical sex abuse not just from the point of view of moral and reputational damage but also the impact on the alleged perpetrator’s family. It traces the unfolding accusations through their reactions as the accelerant of social media brings the family to the brink with father oblivious.

Peter Gibson (Eric Carte) is an established star of stage and screen and the play opens with him holding his Oscar and reliving his acceptance speech before he shrinks in front of us to the bewildered state of advanced dementia. He is looked after by his daughters, the eldest, Vivian (Christina Balmer) is an actress on the verge of a major breakthrough and academy award nomination whilst the youngest, Margo (Maya-Nika Bewley) is a kind of Brit-Kardashian, a social media star, famous for being part of this dynasty and seemingly young beyond her years.

Christina Balmer

The women have different mothers and are a half-generation apart in age and outlook; Vivian was almost a mother to Margo as her mother’s marriage broke down whilst the latter has no experience of the years when the family struggled, Peter yet to establish himself and his first wife – the love of his life – working three jobs.

There’s a lot to unpack in Alderson’s script which is ambitious enough to try and explain how successful men operate(d) and how the women in their lives are complicit or compromised. Margo is a spoilt brat on the opening half, challenging everything without having the answers – the luxury of the younger sibling (trust me, I am that child). Vivian has the success and bearing, seeing herself as the main carer and the one who must steady the family ship. Her agent – and Peter’s long-time friend, Ian (Christopher Jenner-Cole) – is almost part of the family, a former actor who was helped a lot by Peter’s patronage. Margo teases him and persuades him to do a line or two of cocaine as inhibitions are lost and deep wounds are exposed.

Margo and Vivian argue as sister’s do but then a tweet arrives – projected on a screen that doubles as a portrait of Peter and wife Number One – in which a woman has accused Peter of abusing her. Lines are very quickly drawn with Viv all too ready to defend her Dad and Margo all too ready to believe the worst. I felt this transition was slightly contrived as the whole affair suddenly provides one with a purpose as it threatens to derail the other’s career, but that’s drama.

Christopher Jenner-Cole and Maya-Nika Bewley

The family must now not only decide on how to manage the crisis and whether their “tribe” is going to survive at all. The play picks up a fearsome head of pace as the depths of ill-feeling are finally revealed and the interplay between Bewley and Balmer is spectacular as the cliff edge approaches.

Eric Carte is superbly sad as the forlorn Peter and gives us glimpses of the glorious, confident and arrogant man he once was through flashback and the occasional sliver of coherence – it’s so poignant and a character you write off at your peril.

Christina Balmer and Maya-Nika Bewley also offer compelling performances – half-sisters who are more alike than they care to admit and Christopher Jenner-Cole is charismatic with his character still left in the wake of this powerful family turmoil.

Veronica Quilligan has marshalled her players well and the pace never lets up. Riveting!

IThankYou Theatre rating: **** Complex theatre that packs in a lot but always engages in a race to confront the reality of responsibility beyond the ties of family.

Thread plays at the Hope until 7^th December, booking details on the theatre’s website.

Eric Carte