Theatre Review: The River - Jez Butterworth

Oooh! This is an interesting play.

It is dense, wordy, and tense. It isn't a play with a frenetic pace or a huge emotional roller-coaster. It is a series of subtle arguments and twisted relationships which slowly (very slowly) reveal themselves to the audience.

It is actorly - with winding speeches and hefty subtext. The leisurely pace belies the deep and dark subject matter.

Although only 80 minutes (without interval) it feels… whatever the positive version of "interminable" is. I was intrigued to begin with, but found myself wondering if the repetitive nature of the story was a silly conceit. As it progressed I became drawn in

It would be wrong to say that the drama is bloodless (indeed, it features a real fish being gutted on stage), but it is all muted seething and meaningful stares. Don't expect emotional explosions.

Ultimately, it is a promenade through the uncertain memories of an unreliable narrator, struggling to understand his history and his relationships.

Tickets are available until 27th October