The “particles” in question here are the unpredictable Georgie, a garrulous 42 year old .American, and Alex, a butcher some 33 years her senior whom she starts chatting to for no apparent reason when she plants a kiss on his neck whilst he’s sitting on a station platform.
Initially he can’t be bothered with this persistent younger woman who tracks him down to his shop – especially as lies seem to spring as easily to her lips as the truth, But her stalking and indefatigable kookiness wear down the resistance of this isolated, self-contained bachelor and a rather heart-warming relationship develops. There’s a sadness in both of them – she has an estranged teenage son back in New Jersey, his empty fridge speaks volumes of an unfilled life.
Under the direction of Marianne Elliott (who also directed Stephens’ brilliant The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) Anne-Marie Duff and Kenneth Cranham, fine actors that they are, lend as much credibility as they can to this unlikely romance. The delighted post-coital expression on Alex’s face alone is almost worth the price of a ticket.
But even they can’t hide the fact that this is really a rather slight, if enjoyable, piece, given more weight by Paule Constable’s gorgeous lighting which bathes the expanding and contracting boxes created by Bunny Christie’s stark design in luminous colour.
Wyndhams, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DA
Tube: Leicester Square
Until 6th January 2018
Tickets £19.50 – £65.00 + Premium seats
