The Brenda Line
★★★★☆ Warm
Traverse: Wed 13 – Sat 16 Nov 2024
Review by Hugh Simpson
The Brenda Line by Harry Mould, from the Pitlochry Festival Theatre and playing in Traverse 2 for four performances only, is a clever, moving and beautifully pitched production.
Karen (Charlotte Grayson), the ‘youngest volunteer in the country’, arrives for her first nightshift answering calls at the Samaritans. She is discomfited to discover that her colleague Anne (Fiona Bruce) is one of those who takes calls from men asking for ‘Brenda’ – a code for those Samaritans founder Chad Varah described as ‘telephone masturbators’.
Charlotte Grayson (Karen) in The Brenda Line. Pic: Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
That such a service really existed is not widely known, and throws up all kinds of ethical dilemmas. One of the many intriguing things about Mould’s debut play is that they pass no judgement on the situation or the two characters on stage.
It is these characters rather than the callers to the Brenda line who form the play’s heart (the callers we hear during the play are not by any means all asking for Brenda). Karen is an 18-year-old would-be writer, full of righteous anger at the ‘punctual perverts’ and what she sees as ‘unpaid prostitution’ but naive in many ways. Anne is older, less judgmental but still presented as flawed.
Grayson and Bruce both provide beautifully considered performances, drawing more humour from the situation than might be expected.
ludicrously impressive
For this is far warmer, and far lighter of heart, than the subject matter would suggest. For a first-time playwright, Mould’s facility with dialogue and characterisation is almost ludicrously impressive.
The characters’ background and preoccupations are shown in an unhurried and uncontrived way, while Ben Occhipinti’s direction is sympathetic and well paced. The result is funny, human and often profound. Yet the play never seeks to preach or look for easy answers.
Fiona Bruce (Anne) in The Brenda Line. Pic: Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
There could certainly be quibbles with the structure. The determination to make this a full length two-act play does it few favours. It is certainly too long, noticeably running out of steam after the interval.
The setting is clearly the late 1970s, as shown by references to the election of Margaret Thatcher, and Natalie Fern’s evocative design, but there is the odd jarringly modern reference.
dovetails beautifully
Niroshini Thambar’s sound design is excellent, with the unseen callers’ voices being provided by Colin McCredie, Eden Barrie and Ali Watt. The lighting design of Adam Bowers dovetails beautifully with Fern’s set.
Despite running out of steam a little, this is a highly satisfying production that promises much for Mould’s future as a playwright.
Running time 1 hour 45 minutes including one interval
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, EH1 2ED
Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 November 2024
Daily at 8.00 pm; Matinee Sat 2.30 pm
Details and tickets: book here.
Charlotte Grayson (Karen) and Fiona Bruce (Anne) in The Brenda Line. Pic: Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
ENDS
