It is easy to be disarmed by the live karaoke and jovial atmosphere when you first walk into ‘The Sun Inn.’ Yet, what follows in Kit Withington’s new play, Heart Wall, is a sharp study of grief and the way it causes lives to stagnate.
The play centres on Franky (Rowan Robinson), who has returned home to Lancashire to visit her parents, Dez (Deka Walmsley) and Linda (Sophie Stanton), after a year in London. Initially, the awkward reunion is blamed on Franky’s flashy life in the capital, which stands in stark contrast to her quiet northern roots. However, it soon becomes clear that while Franky’s life down south is full of movement, her parents and her hometown appear frozen in time.
Director Katie Greenall is ambitious in her staging. Hazel Low’s set design is a meticulously crafted pub reminiscent of Coronation Street’s ‘The Rovers Return.’ Upon entering, audience members are invited to sign up for karaoke, which becomes a vital thread throughout the performance. As pre-shows go, it is a risky move, particularly if no one signs up, yet inevitably a few patrons do. It is an effective win, immediately immersing the audience in the lives of the characters.
The inclusion of karaoke throughout the play can feel tonally abrupt at points. Yet, its inclusion is poignant because music and lyrics often help say what cannot be voiced. Withington’s work burrows into the way grief strips away communication, particularly in the aftermath of tragedy. While some moments feel a little forced, others, such as a moving connection between mother and daughter, provide a bridge between the pair that otherwise felt impossible.
As Franky, Rowan Robinson’s portrayal is initially brash. Her treatment of those around her is selfish and even a little belittling, fueled by the sense that her London life makes her superior. Yet as the play unfolds and the reasons for her estrangement surface, Robinson successfully draws out the complexities of the character and the weight of her strained family ties.
Despite the focus on Franky, Deka Walmsley’s Dez provides the most intrigue. Franky’s father appears bumbling and chaotic, fiercely focusing on order and routine with an obsession for bathing that borders on self-harm. Dez is clearly unwell, and while the reasons for his nature are slightly too telegraphed, Walmsley is excellent as a man desperate to cling to the only life he knows.
This provides a striking contrast to Sophie Stanton’s beleaguered Linda. Like her husband, Linda is haunted by a shared tragedy, but she is desperate for something new. She refuses to be wrapped in stifling grief for the rest of her life, leading to some of the play’s most impactful interactions.
Meanwhile, Franky’s childhood friends, Charlene (Olivia Forrest) and Valentine (Aaron Anthony), function as somewhat one-dimensional figures to move the narrative along. Valentine desperately tries to keep the pub afloat, while the blunt Charlene is quick to put Franky in her place. Though not particularly well-developed, the pair are functional catalysts for the story.
As Franky is dragged back into the stagnant life she tried to leave behind, the play works hard to explore the anguish of loss. It is a painful exploration, and Withington’s script effectively captures its lingering nature. The powerful conclusion is moving, succeeds in evoking a quiet resolution, and spotlights a family struggling to move on from unimaginable tragedy.
An engrossing piece of new writing.
