Happy Days Aren’t here again
Just back from Night Mother at the Hampstead- Stockard Channing and Rebeca Night in a Pulitzer Prize (Drama) winning, gruelling, two hander.
Over 80 minutes (no interval) a daughter explains why she plans to kill herself, meanwhile organising her mother’s future life without her. Dysfunctional people in dysfunctional relationships, the daughter logical, single minded, relentless. Revelations, grief.
This is the most depressing play I think I have ever sat through. With good and funny throw-away lines, excellent acting – but makes Tennessee Williams look like a Feydeau farceur.
If suicide is an issue for you, indeed if you are even mildly depressed, this may not be the play for you. I cannot say I enjoyed it (I relished the acting however) – but I don’t think it was ever meant to be enjoyed, as such.
But you may not see Stockard Channing on the London stage again – and that’s worth not missing.