Review: Bungalow, Theatre503

Agatha has returned to her family home and for the first time in years spends time alone with her mother, Bernadette, a staunch Christian. Her father is in hospital on his deathbed. Brother, Luke, won’t visit him but comes to check in with their mother, leaving his wife and young son at home. As the three family members reunite, their remembrances of the past rise to the surface and ugly, painful truths are exposed.

This is a bold piece of new writing from Ruth D’Silva that deals with many difficult and taboo subjects. It builds an understanding of dysfunctional individuals tied together by a family link and the cyclicality of abuse, placing this in the context of an Anglo-Indian family. It’s a hard watch, relentlessly unearthing themes of physical, emotional and sexual abuse for both adults and children. There’s patriarchal cruelty, alcoholism, drug abuse, anger management, toxic Christianity and even incest.

Lydia Bakelmun as Agatha delivers a vast range of emotions throughout this difficult narrative, both in solo moments and in uncomfortable exchanges with other characters. The toxic tension evidenced between Agatha and her mother is possibly horribly familiar to many of an older generation, where expectations of duty and care were very different to today. Although engaging in the role of Bernadette, on the night Fisun Burgess seemed to be reaching for her lines at times.

Mikhael DeVille doesn’t have far to go with the role of Luke. It’s made clear early on that he has alcohol abuse issues, so it’s no surprise when he finally loses control. But a fourth character, Steven, is more interesting, and played with lively humour by Jack Bence. He seems initially shallow – a cocky Eastender, but it’s impressive that he is the one who insists any abuse must end, subverting the clown role to instead demonstrate the integrity missing in this household.

The house itself – ‘bungalow’ even an Indian word – is another character, clearly witness to decades of trauma. Caitlin Mawhinney‘s claustrophobic design tells of damage and fatigue, and ultimately manifests searing gashes. There are no walls, nowhere to hide: everything that happens is exposed. Jesus watches inactively over it all from a large painting, while the rooms are marked out by distinct shifts in lighting (Cheng Keng).

The play as a whole is somewhat predictable and prolonged. Almost immediately the nature of the issues that will inevitably be revealed is clear, obvious in way the characters and relationships are drawn, so it’s just a matter of waiting for the facts to be defined. It’s relentlessly uncomfortable as issue after issue overwhelms each other. There is some light relief in a humorous scene involving sexy role play, but this feels isolated in a landscape of darkness, and a better balance would help. The plot is also patchy in places. Would Agatha discuss her very personal life to Steven with her mother, who steadfastly refuses to engage in conversation throughout? In the second half, Bernadette shifts inexplicably from being practically crippled to being suddenly spritely again, without this being questioned.

The ending features ideas of reconciliation and redemption, as Agatha makes moves to reclaim her damaged life, but it feels rather inadequate given the distressing content of the play. It would perhaps be more helpful to show her finding positive support – calling the Samaritans or a support group – that could guide anyone affected by the topics towards their own positive resolution

D’Silva’s play is a bold, commendable recognition of patterns of abuse and the manifestation of trauma, but as drama it is heavy and would benefit from light at the end of the dark tunnel to give it the impact for which it has potential.

Written by Ruth D’Silva
Directed by Beth Kapila
Produced by Jessie Anand
Set and Costume design by Caitlin Mawhinney
Sound design by José Guillermo Puello

Bungalow has completed its current run at Theatre503.