Conflicts of Interest
Rosemary Branch Theatre, London

Ruth Sheldon

Conflicts of Interest is a collection of six short plays (five of them new) that combine to create a series of snapshots into the dynamics of human relationships. Drawing together the work of five new playwrights, Hydrae Productions have created an unusual theatrical experience; a montage of scenarios exploring trust, deception, betrayal and love.

With one exception each play centres around a simple twist, a comic or tragic hinge that reveals an undercurrent of betrayal or deception. Carpets are swiped from under the feet of characters and audience alike, leaving an echoing paranoia, 'Who can you trust?' Each play cloaks this question in a different outfit; with political backstabbing, existential questioning and, of course, infidelity rearing its head a number of times.

Some of these pieces are more effective than others; Tat, in particular, brings the kind of depth and complexity to characters that is sacrificed in some of the other plays to the 'cleverness' of plot. There is an occasional tendency to melodramatic acting which suits the stylised political drama but is unconvincing in the scenario about helpline counsellors. The humour can be sharp and funny; in Ted and Ralph, one twitch of Phil Gerrard's facial expression and the audience is suddenly aware of the hidden agenda between these two characters. The problem is that this joke is the basis of the entire scenario, and is pursued until it becomes overplayed and stale.

Because this is theatre exploring trust and deception, it was fascinating to be in that strange situation where cast outnumbers audience. The commitment and energy of the cast never lapsed despite sound effects merging with the prolongued roars of Chelsea fans in the pub below. In fact, this intimacy added to the sense that the play could spill over into the pub, and the world, beyond. I wandered down the stairs to the pub in the interval to find Chelsea on their way out of the Champions' League, and the suicidal transsexual last seen wallowing amongst a mountain of pills out of her nighty and dressed in an intimidating Thatcheresque military suit. My confusion at her incongruously friendly smile was only abated when she emerged on stage after the interval as the ambitious, conspiring wife of a fascist dictator.

Conflicts of Interest is an intelligent and interesting probing of intimate human themes; six miniatures that reveal human vulnerability on a small scale. Perhaps not as adrenalin-fuelled as the dramatic footballing saga with which it competed but, at the risk of being blasphemous, equally entertaining.

Till 23 May