'The Swell' review

'The Swell' Review

"Lynn has constructed an intriguing and persuasive play."

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Ali Wright

Isley Lynn’s stylish and thoughtful new play, shortlisted in 2020 for The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, is surely yet another triumph for Richmond’s Orange Tree, which seems to be riding something of a wave at the moment in Tom Littler’s inaugural season as artistic director here.

Coincidentally (but fittingly) called The Swell, it tells the story of three very different women, seen here both in youth and maturity, the trajectory of their complicated relationships beautifully played out by a talented cast of six.

No one is ever completely out of sight in the round, the younger actors waiting in the wings whilst the later scenes play out, a reminder perhaps of the way past and present often intertwine.

It’s a lesbian love story in essence but really it’s about love per se, life’s inevitable challenges and its many demands and sacrifices.

On Amy Jane Cook’s stark yet effective raised platform many eclectic scenes play out, from a seaside rendezvous to a hospital meeting and disco floor and many others, all accompanied by a live vocal score that subtly enhances the drama.

Annie has had a whirlwind romance with Bel and they’re planning their wedding when free-spirited Flo, Annie’s friend from her schooldays suddenly arrives and her vibrant, voluble presence proves a catalyst for emotional upheaval on a grand scale.

Something unexpected then occurs that dramatically shifts the balance between these three young women and paves the way for the reflective moments they later share when suddenly thrown into close proximity once again. 

Scenes between the younger women are interspersed with poignant vignettes of Bel and Flo in later life, living a quieter, more isolated existence. Why have their lives taken this course and what has happened to them over the course of the thirty subsequent years?

A strong cast brings out the full flavour of Lynn’s play with Sophie Ward in particular completely persuasive as the mature Bel, bringing both warmth and conviction to her role.

Lynn has constructed an intriguing and persuasive play that possesses broad appeal, its unexpected late twist bringing a poignant and pungent emphasis that is profoundly moving.