Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise. (Paul McCartney: The White Album)
Two people in a room locked in a battle of wills; menace under a veneer of (relative) politeness; conversation peppered with mundanities; phrases cut off; topics shift; and the air hums with tension. They could leave, but don’t. Harold Pinter? No, it’s David Harrower and Blackbird, the latest from the feisty 23rd Productions in La Boite’s second offering for their 2010 Indie series.
The ghost of Pinter lurks around the edges of this Brit psycho-drama and 2007 Olivier Awards Best Play winner from Scotsman, Harrower. It’s easy to see why. There’s something terrible haunting the protagonists, Una and Ray; something from their past has taken over their lives. Obsession, betrayal, blame, grieving, a fling at healing – all drive the play’s action as each rakes over events from years long gone. Every beat is masterfully crafted into a duet that probes society’s notions of morality set in counterpoint with individual desire. Continue reading “Review -Blackbird: 23rd Productions”
