'Nightfall',
by Joanna Murray-Smith, - Burton Taylor Theatre to Sat 15th Nov 2003, 7.30pm, dir. Kate Donald.

Blimey. This is a truly brilliant, darkly twisted, deeply intimate play; but not really one for all the family.

And yet, 'Family is exactly what this play is about; the bonds that make us and break us, and what happens when those bonds are misunderstood or abused.

Ed and Emily are the kind of people you just love to hate. He (Michael Lesslie) is a smugly-retired company director; pompous, arrogant and full to the brim with cringe-worthy, effected modesty. His wife (Sarah Teacher) is a hysterical, dim-witted, ex-sloane-party-girl with a penchant for gardening, Ferragamo shoes, 'wild' parties with "an orchestra playing above the pool" and canapés.

You get the picture.

When we meet them, they are sitting on their sofa, waiting. But, have no fear, this is not one of those tedious monologues where two people discuss 'deep' issues cloyingly, but nothing actually happens. Quite the reverse, in fact.

We gather that they are waiting for their long-lost daughter, Jane, to contact them. They are tense, and understandably so, as this is the first time in the 7 years since she ran away from home that she has even attempted to get in touch.

The doorbell rings. They tensely open it, desperate to see her again, only to find a complete stranger standing on their door mat.

The stranger, Kate (Rebecca Hug), has more surprises in store. She has been sent by Jane to talk things through with them, and to prepare them for Jane's arrival. The discussions that ensues are highly charged, and probe into the darkest reaches of both Ed and Emily's souls and memories, challenging themselves, their relationships and the world they live in.

The conclusion that they come to; well, I'm not going to spoil that one. But, I can promise you that it is not obvious, and will leave you food for thought for the rest of the week.

The exchange is made all the more personal in the fantastic BT theatre; it is really a venue that everyone should experience at least once. And once you've sampled the true intimacy of a set that sits actors next to audience, and only seats around 40 people, you wont want to go anywhere else.

So go!

(A word of warning, though, this probably isn't suitable for very young children, as it has a potentially quite disturbing content.)

Isabel Owen