Ever After
at Rocket Venue (Venue 126), Edinburgh

James Panton

The problem with literature and drama about obsessional and unhealthy forms of love is that they are hugely difficult to pull off without becoming cliched.

Nabakov did it with Lolita. But this is to name a master craftsman in his trade. Unfortunately, Matt Harrison, Nick Harrop and blue edge theatre have failed to move beyond the level of cliche in Ever After. The story revolves around Sarah, an 18-year old about to leave for university, who rekindles a friendship with her old tutor and family friend, Charles, who she hasn't seen for five years. In a mix of realism and fairytale, Sarah comes to discover the secrets of Charles' and her mother's past, and a frightening history of a man obsessed with mother and daughter at the same time.

Ever After attempts a level of profundity and thought provocation which it sadly fails to achieve. We already know that behind the surface of every fairytale lies a grim reality; we all know from the beginning that Charles is a self-obsessed weirdo we wouldn't want round for dinner. The actors are keen and not lacking in talent, but suffer from a lack of characterisation in both script and direction which might have taken us to a more subtle analysis of human relationships. Having nothing to rise to, the actors' performances are largely unconvincing. Unfortunately, this is just another piece of new writing that has nothing new to say and which finds no new ways to say it.