The Mistress

Wesker is the UK’s greatest living playwright, a fact often unsung. But last night Nicola Haydn’s direction went a long way to proving that. The genius is, that as a man, Wesker can write with a beautiful, poetic and powerful female voice. The Mistress is evidence of that art, but in lesser hands the play would be disastrous, it demands good direction and above that a talented actor to take on the complex role of Samantha. Jo Merman is that actor and she gives a performance that is confident, gripping and ultimately heart-breaking, a real tour-de-force. This is a must see performance if ever there was one and hopefully this short run will be revived very soon. The intimate surroundings of Upstairs at Three & Ten suit it well, the claustrophobic and oppressive mood created a fine setting and the re-configured space works better than ever.

Upstairs at Three & Ten, 17 January 2012

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