One darkly funny play and two perfectly pitched performances add up to one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking evenings currently in the West End.
David Ireland’s two-hander has been revamped since it was first seen in Edinburgh last summer with Martin Freeman taking over from Sean Gilder in the role of James. English, married, middle-aged, middle-class and seemingly the epitome of urbane metrosexuality, James is wise mentor to Jack Lowden’s young, single, Scottish, working-class Luka, who is coiled by bitterness over the raw deal life has dealt him.
However, the many contrasts between these two are far outweighed by the one thing they have in common. Both are alcoholics attempting to address their addiction with Alcoholics Anonymous. James has been dry for 25 years but Luka is wet behind the ears when it comes to controlling the impulse to drink. He will have to give up his friends too, advises James in his official role as AA Sponsor. And the porn will have to go. What?! Twenty times a day is a lot, observes James.
I never tire of that quality of Freeman’s that suggests he would rather not be in whatever conversation he finds himself in
