Resurrection Blues

Last night I went down to the Old Vic to join Caitlin and Jack, their friends Dom and her husband, and Nat to see Resurrection Blues. Knowing very little about it, except that is was being played in Kevin Spacey's theatre (!!), and it was starring Neve Campbell, I have no real expectations.

The opening scene features Neve in a wheelchair, supposedly having survived a suicide attempt, and thus suffering some paralysis. Interesting dialogue here, with the rumination about failing at taking action about failing life, her physical acting didn't quite hit the mark for me. I guess I am way too critical about non-disabled people playing someone with disabilities or such injuries as these were meant to.

But then in the next scene, the main character forgot his lines. To the point of needing prompting. Three times!! A voice from off stage had to prompt him through three different lines in this scene. Horribly uncomfortable, and embarrassing. There was also some odd tension on stage, with the co-actor of the scene not helping out at all!! It was almost an air of can't-help-you-mate-cos-you-didn't-turn-up-to-rehearsal!!

Ohhhh, trouble. The play looks at faith, government corruption and commercialisation...and then ends rather abruptly!! Probably just as well!!