A touching and thought-provoking exploration of the relationship of Monica Jones and Philip Larkin via a fictitious student of Monica’s. The excellent acting and script leaves the audience with much to discuss and consider. Summary
Rating
Excellent
What a treat. A fascinating insight into the relationships of Monica Jones and Philip Larkin, played to perfection. Julia Munrow (Monica Jones) and Teddy Walker (Tommy) have obviously been working together for some time; their chemistry and understanding of the characters is riveting and utterly believable. From the beginning, the relationship between Monica Jones as tutor and Tommy as student is imbued with tension and misunderstandings of each other, of their intentions and needs. The script interrogates the age, hierarchy, and sexual differences between them sensitively, but without removing any of the angst and longing they both feel. It is very cleverly achieved.
Even if you know nothing about Philip Larkin and his romantic relationships, the visceral reaction he created in the women he apparently loved is palpable in this play. Rita Ippolit’s writing shows us how illogical and often destructive love can be. Tommy’s entreaties to Monica to leave Larkin fall on deaf ears. Her love for Larkin and her dependence on his opinion of her are so strong she will not be swayed, even when Larkin is romantically involved to the point of being engaged to Maeve in Hull.
The relationship between Tommy and Monica, while essentially fictitious, probably has more than an element of truth in it. Both characters ae pining for lovers they can’t have, and those shared feelings add to the emotional turmoil of the play.
Given the play is only forty-five minutes long, it manages to convey, through several short scenes, the passing of time, the growth, and the often-angry love hate relationships the characters have with each other and their absent lovers. It also captures Monica’s flamboyance, and her widely documented input to Larkin’s writing. We are also shown the more unpleasant side of Larkin and Jones; racist, antisemitic and homophobic beliefs, leaving the audience with a dichotomy of sympathies towards two well-known characters.
Gregory A Smith’s direction, leading on from Lily Whiteside’s direction of the original version, works well and uses every inch of the space at The Old Red Lion. The minimal staging used is all that is needed, and what luck to have two doors available.
This was my first visit to The Old Red Lion, and it won’t be the last. It’s a very useful space that provides scope for imaginative staging.
Almost Instinct Almost True is a super play. It was impossible during the performance not to think about friends who have had long distance, long term, on off, sometimes toxic relationships, and how damaging they are, not only to themselves, but to everyone around them. Much discussion ensued on the way home!
Written by: Rita Ippolit
Directed by: Gregory A Smith
Produced by: Izzy Macpherson and Gabriela Chanova
Almost Instinct Almost True plays at Old Red Lion Theatre until Saturday 12 April.
