Lovesong (Oberon Modern Plays)

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Another way in which Maggie and Margaret connected their characters was through the use of Brechtian-style gesture; both often pursed their lips to show displeasure.

Often when both couples appeared in the same scene together, the young couple were lit in a soft, warm coloured lighting whilst the old couple were often left in darkness.Whilst she was younger she often wore brightly coloured clothes such as her blue dress- this could’ve hinted at her aspirations for an exciting and vivid future, however as she grew older she wore colours that were much more dull- this could’ve symbolised her passion fading. This costume coordination allowed for Bill to recognise that at times he saw the younger Margaret buried beneath Maggie’s ageing appearance and deteriorating health; the audience see this when the older Bill dances with the memory of his young wife. Abi Morgan’s love story time-warps us through the 40 years’ marriage of Maggie (Siân Phillips) and Billy (Sam Cox). Although subtle, this technique added depth to their characterisation, therefore making their characters even more believable for the audience. The story, which explores the endurance of relationships and decaying of the human body is brought to life, focuses on the entwining lives of William and Margaret (later becoming Bill and Maggie) as they progress through time together, and the audience witness their past and present selves collide in memories.

There is something a trifle over-elegiac about the evening, and the script is frustratingly hazy on detail. Join Frantic Assembly Associate Simon Pittman as he leads you through a physical creative task inspired by the rehearsal process for our production of Lovesong. An example of this was how as a younger couple, they seemed to discuss everything; children, jobs, ambitions, friends, however as they grew older the silences between conversations seemed to become longer, and conversational topics seemed to run dry. Projecting the image reminded the audience of this conversation, and added to the sense of loss and grief that both William and the audience felt when Maggie died.is as tender as the bruised peaches that fall to the ground in the garden of the elderly couple's US home. Her plays include Skinned, Sleeping Around, Splendour (Paines Plough); Tiny Dynamite (Traverse); Tender (Hampstead Theatre);. The use of levels in this scene aided the visual impact; as their future selves were sat directly behind them. Despite maintaining their individual personality traits, the relationship of the couple seemed to change in many ways as they grew older.

The set was simplistic; only featuring basic statement furnishings of the house (such as the fridge, table, bed and wardrobe).The kitchen and bedroom of Maggie and Billy's house, where the walls were never scribbled on by longed-for children, are stalked by the ghosts of their younger selves: the smooth-skinned, radiant Margaret (Leanne Rowe) and William (Edward Bennett). As they enter the final week of her life, the house becomes full with memories of their marriage and their desperation to conceive a child. What we loved about those was the hero's grand romantic gesture that risked being missed or misunderstood by the object of his love.