Annette Mees
posted 14 July 2005

Don't let the title fool you. This is not a play about art, politics and urban change or religion in inner city London. This is a play about 'the human condition', love and loss. Shoreditch Madonna explores the discrepancy between our pretence and the reality of relationships.

The Shoreditch Madonna is Martha (a wonderful Francesca Annis), the former student and lover of the previously great painter Devlin. He has surfaced from oblivion to host a forum in The Space, a squatted art gallery in fashionable Shoreditch run by three young artists. Michael, Hodge and Nick have landed a coup by having such a big name, Devlin is milking them for all they're worth and both parties are appropriately cynical about the exchange. But there is little time to dwell on that situation as Nick falls for Christina, the widow of Devlin's former protégé, Hodge falls for Martha, Devlin also hopes to get back in the sack with his former lover, who has an old score to settle herself, and Michael is suffering from a bad case of unrequited love.

Everyone in this play feels he or she has to pretend just to get through life. They have to renounce their true feelings to maintain the front expected of them by the world. They all seem to wait for someone to save them from themselves. The tendency to project our desires, triumphs and failings onto others is explored in all the different strands of the play. Some are unable to move on after the death of a loved one (Christina and Devlin) others are happy to indulge in unrequited love (Nick and Michael) sometimes for years, while others are still partly defined by loves long gone (Martha). While all are desperate for connection, they are so adept at putting self-inflicted obstacles in their way that hardly any of them succeeds.

There seems to be little hope for any lasting relationships. The lack of any mention of marriage might just be a sign of the times. More disturbing is the fact that the deepest lasting attachments in this play are made to the dead and to children. Both are incredibly romanticised as unchanging icons or as visions of innocence and beauty respectively, both used as objects for projections of pure love.

Rebecca Lenkiewicz is a great talent indeed. Within the multi-layered narrative her carefully constructed imagery really comes to life. Her image of a hanged man above scattered apple blossom petals, and Devlin's description of his discolouration, stay with you long after the play. The play is winningly directed by Sean Mathias, who makes good use of light and music and gets great performances all round. The combination of contemporary speed and romantic longing come to life in Paul Burgess' wonderful, continually shifting design.

The star of the show is Lee Ingleby, who gives a wonderful performance as the endearing, love-struck Tristan Hodge. He gives Hodge a beautiful balance between naïve wonder and pragmatism. Although he might secretly be hoping for more, he seems to be the one least scathed by love, mainly because he is just very pleased with what he can get. His honest loving approach to women might make us laugh, but his lack of expectations and his willingness to invest himself seem to make him a lot happier than his peers hunting for perfect, romantic love.

Till 6 August 2005