17 – 19 October 

One of our top political comedians it turns out is a top actor. Who knew that Mark Thomas, the scourge of the right, the standup with bludgeons and rapiers in his locker, could fashion his passion into art? Bottled intensity we already knew he had in abundance, but channelling that into a character not his own is talent of a different order.

The England of the title both is and isn’t the geographical and historical entity we all know. ‘England’ is the name of a brutish, wife beating, domineering ex-squaddie who served the remnants of empire and has returned to be idolized by his son and feared by his wife. In Ed Edwards’ metaphorical play he is what we have become. It’s a bit of a stretch, but there is a lot more to this play than left-wing self-flagellation. It is a searing insight into life on the streets, cardboard city and an underclass whose continued existence should be a national shame.

The ‘Son’ of the title is a damaged individual who wanted nothing more than the respect and love of his father. He only realized too late that his father’s forceful and destructive personality should have been challenged in time to prevent the death of his mother. The play is a tragedy.

With astute direction from Cressida Brown, Mr.Edwards gives full weight and detail to each of the characters he plays. Often switching characters rapidly so as to act with himself, he runs the emotional and personality gamut between brutality and sensitivity. He seemed so natural in the accents of his characters, none of them stock stereotypes, including an upper-middle class drug user, Niall, that he seemed to be assuming another accent when returning to his own voice.

It’s too easy for society at large to avert its gaze from those who spend their lives in a cycle of substance abuse and petty crime, but if we really believe that every individual life is of value we cannot leave their salvation to a small band of dedicated and selfless individuals. Ed Edwards has given a voice to those too easily dismissed as scum and Mark Thomas has given them a face that it would be hard for any politician to ignore. (Ha!)

The play is preceded by a bit of standup or audience interaction and some thumbnail character sketches of folk in rehab where we are first given a glimpse of Mark Thomas’s talent for mimicry.

However the main event is a tour de force whilst being uncomfortable and gripping in its emotional intensity.

★★★★☆   Graham Wyles 18 October 2023 

photographer’s credit @ Alex Brenner