Young Emma
Finborough Theatre

Stephen Doran

Performed as part of the Writers-in-Residence season, Laura Wade's adaptation of 'the secret memoir' of the poet William Henry Davies, delivers the almost impossible.

It manages to create a workable blend of innocence and humour within an otherwise unsettling environment, reflecting the life of Davies himself and so many of our iconic figures. David Cann delivers a masterful performance as the wayward poet; with impressive technique, Cann's timing is immaculate and is often the source of well-needed comic relief. His wealth of experience shines though in this piece.

The versatile Anna Ledwich complements Cann's performance very well, as does the naive young Emma, made every inch the innocent party by young Margot Molinari. Although attempts by others to create a lighter, almost comic approach meant less dramatic impact, all in all this was a powerful presentation of the life of an extraordinary artist, delving into the depths of excess and misfortune.

Director Tamara Harvey should be congratulated for conducting a thoroughly engaging and well-timed production, that is sure to get people thinking about sexual morality and the perils of overindulgence. It's just a shame that the sexed-upped moments which demanded a sense of tenderness became all too tedious, and in the end left some of us feeling left out, and suspecting that the actors were having more fun than the audience.

Till 21 December 2003