The Independent from London, Greater London, England • 60

12 the critics INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 1 JUNE 1997 Patrick Marber wins hands down UCWII IIUMIBaaWD aaWITSff aKMW.paBssldst HLaaffaVlC astaaft fcl pOVW tttaat aUOWBtl fheCnaBJClpasaDAOf thCSesAindlhe daafaMlatafclgOtfllilfllriaLlt fly Bi hnsji iiftyyt mi water toe on the kttgat than while South Robert Butler ant more aware of those who have been diapoaseaaed for canbariea ia caanang me amu ot uanr anoBnoai fcanweareofthegaiiaaaava(laiia, JUaJeafleyerjaatawaaaaganBKiajsm The prndiiftinn mm mto unjiaemi a II confionts the taeue of race. Thb too bbj a flsemt lobe aajVrienpeiL but the more they refer to it don't equal white any-nifameinoaeweiaaabewhatwe are If we're watdimg one paty knowing auother has been writing fa tr 1990a, rawcokki'tbjne written ThChrryCMuni There a strenuously good-riatured produdion of A Mdaoas-assi rnalartrtiaaia at Itw ftrni rtsr wceuen saw one ndnuat of our home movief, aprruhtrs Larry, played with a hulking bruised integrity by Hinds, the shit that Over the cWs 12 a fair quantity of atop. The IF EVER a phy aved up to a quote BwMinAioBdhiftgpiopwiiiiitj bite National IhMM'i production of Patrick Mater! new piqi Closer. The pananaph fi boot Awa amby Ihr ptydwihtxapM Adam Phffips, and the rjperdng atnapiire rune hfidcityicaimucii about the dnana of num4ribng at about Utgdimof tcanKtyTmncitiun! Marber hiBy knowi what hk new ratybaboutand he wouldn't beat good a dramaflat he (and, right niwkiookiaiiftebttebeatctfhb generation) if he did. For dawr touchacnalotthatkuncarraErrably raw.

But in scene after scene, me da-ma of truthtriang-to use Praffips's pro-triebiiTdingxk. bi Clwr, we meet four people living in London kwmaast stripped phcSDgiapher and doctor-none of whom know each other when the rtybegjns.kiartmeeadtomfir eexuai nHabons that intrigues us. Nor the sex matt Nor the cydfcal tagei by whkh the four meet akep together, part meet again, sleep to-gether again and part again. The nervineai that powers Cfcarr, and inakesktrw best new r4ay since Art, fcsin the lajeibont arid men, denials and cordeadons that theae actions uteri Burte: Heie arc people thrreof wrioromafceaavtogtreiough me detached obaeivaliun of others, one of whom does pretty much the oppcafte who Just can atop themselves from wanting to know that Ude bit more. When the text of Ckxrr published, it may writ contain one of (he highest number of question marks in an Ensbsh play.

fin encounters the taut waif-Hke Ate-ptyrdwfirhamrtlngmtxof toughness and vuheiabaWby Lata VVaBoer when she arts knocked I Willi wNcn Jnarner dta- aects etnotiona mediated only by sheer scdmical poiae. The eaiarveiy urban scene CkseYmoveue from wabhxioom. shidiQj iniaiuant BeaVnt dub and Theatre, which aeeiratorelT on the i the Zoo Z04 'anrktopro- London aunaetohgover vlcatwAaataeralsMOWAmeeverdng naff have to odk wnen Man Staiav aa a dndpan note oonnaina he doegrt want topaytfyfaMie ale ofTbaybeki flie nedainlcBt pn farawnoe at the oourt he "to the afaBction that he hM abeaad ooninfc and turn It hto two tfattnienuk have a bean he awyaV (hen ten Ihe loouvr at hb aHaaith aaoe, panka and adds: "Onang." Thb typical of Rachel Ktvar laBabivwBavgfWKwhalion, whldi InfaMifkhM run from lines UL to 51428 with the ted in one band and a jokebook In die other. When Thhbe the aword riowhent near mm. So bm Tafeot who as Bottom of the keen rasaanslwteaiubylitgllai where me arlbt GF Vaatti created a mtniunal to unknown people who cued acta of heaotaBL Here, news ofadeambrayfteatoryfulcaTje, Owen nrw obituaaaes editor with no space to record arrydsng but the dean of a maaasy man.

And, by mb tkne, Mait'spigha made euph- very suspect Dan left araneone who rasBdedrawforaoiiierjraiwhOQairt And for that reason. Alice maintained tratdeoritrraaierierfedaave. Arid Larry oelered her OTXtoa strip dub juat to td him her real name Talk to me to real Mt Marber's fierce play the desire far truth and inamacyappeenbeaammgand reckless the desire far aex. The Dbjiiliigham Rep and me Market Theatre kfarinearxirg have Joined faeces to present Janet Sua-man'i new version of The Cherry Otduad, baaed on a South African adaptation by Roger Martax Ya, mere are cherries hi South Africa: if you set the play as Suzman and Martin have done-to the raia i Free State. Thai is Chekhov far the Nineties.

you're OK, you're If someone araioyi you, lei mem togetlrayoiircaae. If you're up-tbrtt oabn down wfth Betalalocloeeaj ifyou'retaldng about inceiey, break intoarerrammAbba.Kyouhang around me houae bi a Qsrapartely uarlmwayeacuaeyoumJlaaacrasl of the Sixties. If you need to chop dcwnatree-Mkideedyouwalhave to use an electric saw. Vbu can wlorati plays hi either time or place, but the im-ii rtiifcybluaaa every place has its own past Suzman's fwmatmg down by a taxi and he takes her to rheliotpWHetrhherrieworksin obituaries the Siberia of journal-itrrO-She teh him the a stripper. A year bier they ant living together and he has carmibalijed her fee far hia first rx)okVV he don publics' ihobi in trie book he meets Anna, the phceographer (Sally Dexter).

If VsbttegHmhbafeDfxterb Marber'i 6rst phy, Eeafcr Oaice, took place over one night of a poker game. Trie Wikaplcin de-ceita and revrsstiona to Ubsrr span tour yean, use deft tune drifts, spUt tlw rtay fc sj Has lai npial i naiaap asiiaial scenes and iraercut events trial occur at dV same venue Trensnraeat scene a pure ie. ft ccavluctrd bi silence between Dan and Uny the doctor (Qaran Hinds), who do not know each other and are communicating on the Internet Larry Bunks Dan a woman: "a nymph of the net. Sit-tkig at his desk, with a fag in hia mouth, Owen, a model of ironic bv soucuviceaBsdsmeothersBmtBasSh "AD the unguage old," Owen complains, when OMaring hb own love to Dexter. There are no new words." Marber's stark dialogue doesn't disprove the point In the wrong hands, this could be painfully brittle.

But thb superb cast directed by the author, bring an awesome emotional punch to their deep, if narrow, preuuuupationt. CaBsflljTOiiwMmbmoraaisvirjai aacaa me stage, ariafchealte aword and men rob back again. thb bet enough bang on the cake, Sims a -a faf, at, wtmum ntnwKm nine mm wm uw knife and copal he's using the handle instead of the Hade. Aa Fuck, the esmVJahnlbdden aSreiianahnoetbsaflefc whkh ooMDNatiy fuaaaaai that he's about to do fonettsafaC advnilrahr cVMbkHohited. VVhBt aa Helena, syvanawdwyck(oneof theFaa-dnsting Aids team) becomes an Athenian aoubrette: nunchmgup her aaoe and ahigaTuiaiduiipaak lacenip boots.

She even alow one leap of rsBfcnilBole tokeep aappmg cf her shoulder. Even more cuddly, Bcomhassflaar'arieedthccjkl be sold bi a toy shop, oorjsplete with a tosdsaonal Dmaaj from me New Shakespeare Company mat anght-ry behei me ojriirisfiy'a name. 1 onhr hope they do aa much buaaiesf attracbworBceMtheydocnirasje. Objer': Ccctafce, SH (0171 SU 225 to23i1i TVCikrrryCdanr.Sriii-ingKm Kip (0121 236 455Jt toUJwt. AWVVT(in71S231i(D7Srnt.

KcMer aa the eatate owner returns mnFaravJacklOaffaa her hopeleas dieamy brother and Burt Caesar as thflaaii laaamaaiian win buyiteoadianlSolialfmelimtmb Oerry Orchni works aa a play In its own right and during the other half CIom tneoiirtara: Dan vCM the tension between the original and The owl, the copycat and other diverting creatures (HIE i mm i Mdring ta kke Colgate (thb re-nrinded ne of a ane nun a pQewaWfttgRMtex Quote Michaef Rosen's Best Wank (R3): "Sweet are the usea of There were contributions from a Renabaance (overheard Mas haw baan atsmlrtallng I aright Ihe a writer andonrtarcsrafwyve; whanlraiiaipodiinadatwdy I oorr thtnfc raw Gjoincj to oon- of smtIl At ma aioaaant I Mbutototrart.ftoptolaa- rawaorapractorsnaajiejar tan Ihssr assttalta after they sponger at a very Bjost. aae Hia Mbl IVa probasWy taw tanajaiaL aewadlvae. PatrkMartMccasrr(af DavWCiaiaiarftClractorc Qbaar, Oasy TVgnph CnSrt, Tsnaa Panka HMl whaaaiti, CJIock Mypraaliat rasponsMWy la ForJarnaaiolTneLVar Ictonntniatany but Bros, rrxmonaariQ a vary jwpaacs.irrwmlnk MiMyjrg, aicajsjsncajnt aMnDHoTacft A btoka caassd Vsadjhatls) qo wriAAasna WuVa attains be arattaj myaatt brga out toe prabiaai araa Vdra Moka of avafythbiQ and My awaio and aUsaaansj tho neaaia aaajfcl laataaa) aaaaaa story vMHIarraaiuale and WVsarjstcxtt Party, aw wants. onatarKtngkiaatha TinFswcrlongwahBton tour Baate, Miptndm John on a nswAba. Wsprspri fufiy on the subject of and naughty bring a vlrtuOsdtj culanfaiadnaj in a tet of hbrioui variation on God Sue fht Qttsot wo dapeptic is to be vending on taeason.

Now to other things. I IhnSheluwwBllMlte (RgwoiBdbeiwbitffanKt ft was bitterly sad, as Jean anluuaeadwe Awrdr jontf pcrfonned her own pby shout the sad descent of the confcaLhetothfida Baiter into die Ahhekner's she had spent moat of her kaedreaumg. But by mere serendiplly, far trie rest of the week thenTs been a lot to laugh at Vka or Vfataa (Ral on me subktfof manners, had the aupremery OKifklent Ann Leslie cncuhbig of Drualla Beyfus what she should have done when, as aha OHVVHATbtraaoundthatao thrJDs the ear? Siauewheie, along thb anebnt bjedgeBow, swuAJhiglow over the young com bi Ae Mit of the ful moon, could mere be an owl Chib Spcrrlrur, liooter exlraQV-dmarK But you could have levied me. And, hang onamo-ment he's aho irawaged to fool the nocturnal hunters of The LrrieMbrkltM) with hb owry Here mey come Whrd have diuught mat me yelp of a cat on the fibs would uanv ataaajaaMveieerccueof a fierce ttbe owL as a dblant duuih dock struck mldiikjht? Or that the irajandwly long withdrawing nc of aaactory-amm would have the same efjartcaiitslong-earrri miiain? Least ISsxry of all, that the Sue Gaisfcrd medieval and, econdat merit by Cad Orff. They were tawebhtyaub- wmdtacuasbi) Hve, on Aw QuoVaats, St iectllvevanA Nicholas rattecn I tsoBsn aya- iXiLwr ill' 'ftr-m ner.

Ana temaacauy anmaM Has ot an moan Medaaanvave (Rii often so dlstinguaAabkandaquartum rjttyakte who said that even a vacuum is populated by paks of partkies being ccaistantty created -cue a lurudk conversation with a Hoover tales man. I bked the wld taclevence of a solemn R3-type voice providmg a bogus trafl for a pnjgramme bi which a doctor, aranadiaBmstaralafWiBuoiigei1 ilea ims His etlik al hnilli atli au of undertaking a sxnueman's CNcuse-nie with an otter. It rnuld happen And came a cxaetxalion of radio's nsoat de kghtful charader, the much-lamented WBie Rushton. Five of hb old mates gathered bi a pub for Wimc'a Vsskc (Ri). Hbehtmeiiiylaaaiumnoton their sadness at hb death, but on the many facets of hb comic talent Ibn Rice lemensered an occasion when Willie waajwdasheapltredwineon hb dapper new white dliuasi Jacket: "larwayacbeatoinaech the faod," waa Wnha solemn advice.

And Richard bignuns dearrfced me paaawrcs of me Rushton cartoon one had a poaseman guivcly addreaslng a cou pap ot elueiKy ajays solemn as lobe ponuraus, prof sued a oaaactlon of one aneri well matched. Tteeariy one fcatured some of thoaa tostrunients that remind you of minor akin-! opmplarfita, the gitiern for example, or Ihe oud. mtiaduc-BaMthkvPrdapFicketttaUiia to expect ttewcttktobe in vul-enr Lathi and aranetMng mat BtaaaWidBkeiiiai anaihgrailla1 didn't say what they meant beyond the auajsaation that they were very rude, style andapMturqstf lis! lewHicen-taneaDetween them, mey were fhPjifcsJy flmaWawit atmnwy! Td ruwepeeserred a Bve Interval drbik me rbtfeswaler Hal torherevcatirajtaaV about cannibalism, Uaapcakable IJawhichR3ckcetobrJdge die aapv the concert woriced wcL The very Hve audieiye foaied ttielr approval Hoe a RonecKiwd. the Merest of a bam owt? bi fact Spening wvabitubkiua labOUt thaS laWt CKtt hafBWClt it leavea hkn, he said, with exhausted front teeth aWid Ips hi need of a te-oead. But tt wurisedV ami, lor nutes anwnd BttSeveine4nowhdoied faon1hhadattRary Brenuiec wniilrloui that he mjgtU have deaianionahaiBiatorinVahete outeorthdr from a court in Maasai hiurtti been ottered in deadly earnfatTknymajwumtohave you ojuiuillled nnrlnfr was one question; "Did Ihe defcn dantk youT waa aric4hn-and, me mKasr" drew me sesponter "No, I waa shot between the fracas and the naveL' Ian Peacock gave a bravura perfcemance from me Arman do larmucd achool of radio BunteJanonmeBarkHaaoay, when he went in sesrch of litoakbaj (RiL ft waa ml of gfarious nonsenae and sUy advenmng jingles mithbig acts faster fhan Anadm, ao if a speedy men, and It appar- r4U.lfl.ffliU!lLlHt Kefleway could only swivel -but I bet he went away to l-i 1 rl pfacnKniaWDannoonL Ottier toundi to ttaal die thla week came from ftlancheater and the Maafc Uve atojuva nuidi of which ntghf concert let two ventoni of dminf Burtm aaafaait cadi odier; one waa The next day Brian Kay'e 'Adults you you nury be, but I wouU Question the privacy of Lowndes Mandieaster'a caw eociety to breakfast and the papen, whfle die Nemo ataaaiQidnlet aave a nuanifioent daajtoy of Square.

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