Writer: Lois Tallulah
Director: Isla Jackson-Ritchie
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Realistic & Believable“
3.5 / 5
December 2020 – the world is locked down due to the pandemic, and families everywhere are planning their muted Christmas celebrations. Riley’s family are no different, the turkey is being brined, the wine supply is stocked and the decorations are up, but their Christmas is looking anything but merry.
The family have been through some hard times over the past few years – mum Doreen (Alice Selwyn) is an alcoholic and though she has a close relationship with her three daughters, she can’t protect them from the problems they’re facing. Riley’s (Lois Tallulah) babyfather is risking prison time because of his grow house, Jorja’s (Ella Harding) new boyfriend is pressuring her for explicit pictures and Gemma’s (Nancy Brabin-Platt) main struggle outside of keeping the family together, is being a Spurs fan (arguably the most stressful of them all!). With Christmas looming, all Jorja wants is a call from her dad, who is doing time in the prison opposite their house, but the phone doesn’t ring, and the families’ problems continue to get worse – but surely they’ve had the worst of it now?
Writer and performer Lois Tallulah injects a brilliantly wonderful dose of realism into the storyline, with everything from the snappy sibling interactions to the underlying current of connection between them all, coming across genuine and heartfelt throughout. The subject matter is often heavy – with themes of abuse and violence woven through the storyline. It’s never glorified or skirted around, it is instead approached head on, honestly and sympathetically. Much like the Eastenders episode the characters watch during the show, there are a lot ‘doof doof’ moments that occur, as secrets are revealed, causing ripples of shock in the audience. Although occasionally, the characters don’t react as strongly as you’d expect, which dilutes the impact somewhat, and it would help if some more time was spent on the fallout of some of the revelations rather than wrapping it up so quickly.
The female led cast of six are great within their roles. Selwyn and Tallulah portray both the strength and heartache required for their characters well, while family friend Trish (Jennifer Joseph) brings some excellently comedic relief whenever she pops over for a quick chat. Jamila (Nadia Lamin) adds an intriguing extra layer of poignancy, as the expectant mother tied to the prison as she awaits her partners release, while Brabin-Platt and Harding do a great job of showcasing the complexities of family relationships. Nichole Dinucci’s set design perfectly portrays a busy, lived-in family home. Detail isn’t spared – the stuff tacked onto the fridge, the tree in the corner and the cosy looking sofa immediately make you feel like a fly on the wall, easily immersing you into the storyline with the well-executed staging.
Focusing on the perspective of the justice system from those outside of the prison walls makes for an intriguing narrative. The well-layered characters help to display varying levels of connection to the prison, ultimately showing the strength and bond of the family as they work through their pain together.
Runs until 16th November 2024
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