Leamington production provides food for thought

ADULTERY and the heartache and emotion that come with it are intellectualised to the extreme in the Loft Theatre Company’s latest production.

Joanna Murray-Smith’s critically acclaimed play Honour’s considerable strength lies in the powerful dialogue between its four characters.

George, a successful newspaper columnist and writer casts Honor, his wife of more than 30 years, aside to start an ultimately ill-advised affair with Claudia, the young and sexy journalist who is writing about him.

Murray-Smith intends for us to understand why George would fall for a beautiful and clever girl who is half his age, but it’s difficult to do so because Claudia is simply not a very nice person and its obvious she’ll never give him the romantic result he yearns for.

Claudia struts around like a contestant from The Apprentice who gets fired in the middle stages, so selfish and sure of herself yet, when push comes to shove, not quite as clever or capable as she makes out. The fact Claudia provokes such feeling is tribute to Maia Corbett, making her debut at The Loft alongside Edward Gildea as George and Jessica Noonan as Sophie.

All three first-timers dealt with the demanding script with considerable skill and while it’s hard to sympathise with George, Gildea certainly put his case across with great passion.

But the lion’s share of the performing plaudits must go to Mary MacDonald, who has set a high standard for herself after a superb turn in the thought-provoking monologue Smile.

One audience member commented that MacDonald could be on television and it was her character, Honor, who you root for as she gains the upper hand.

Honor’s emancipation is bitter sweet and like the other topics this play serves up, it leaves you with plenty to think about when the curtain closes.

Oliver Williams