People, Places and Things - Theatre Review

Trafalgar Theatre, London

Photo by Marc Brenner

When I first read People, Places and Things, I knew instantly that I needed to see it live to fully appreciate it. And I was so satisfyingly right. Under the direction of Jeremy Herrin, who first directed the show when it premiered in 2015, this production brings Duncan Macmillan’s drama about addiction to life and takes us on a disturbing journey I was more than happy to be a part of. 

Nina/Emma/Sarah/Rachel (whatever name she decides to go by) is an actress that doesn’t believe in endings, but she is very much near her own when the curtain goes up. After she gets disoriented during a performance of The Seagull and starts suffering from memory loss, she registers into rehab. The audience hears in horror all the substances she lists when asked what she has consumed in the past few hours, but the most shocking detail is her refusal to admit she has a problem. She questions everything, resists the 12-step programme with all her might, till her self-delusion gets shattered in the face of... well, death. 

Denise Gough (reprising her role as Emma) gives an outstanding performance; she shows to the audience that this character is a human, no more, no less. She can be awful, annoying, funny, sceptical and fragile. She deserves our contempt and sympathy at the same time. Because, as this show demonstrates, when it comes to battling addiction, there’s no answer, no definitive end. It’s a never-ending journey, a constant battle with yourself and your triggers. It’s delving into your past, all the mistakes, weaknesses, regrets and accepting that you can never let your guard down. 

A combination of deafening club music and bright lights illustrate how self-destruction and pathological lying takes over Emma’s life to the point of feeling like we’re in a dream. Or a nightmare. And the intriguing, hospital-like set fits perfectly with Emma’s personality: continuously transforming into an endless array of places, from a theatre stage, to a reception, to a bedroom, to a club then back to her childhood home in a swift and effortless manner. 

The final scene keeps us on the edge of our seats. Deep inside you hope for a happy ending, or at least reconciliation between Emma and her parents. Instead, you get hurtful words and Emma’s mother, a broken creature who seems to have given up on her daughter’s improvement, literally handing Emma the means of relapse. Sinéad Cusack is wonderful both as the doctor and as Emma’s mum. The change between the doctor guiding Emma through her recovery, almost like a gentle mother figure, and the mother’s heavy and defeated presence is subtle, yet incredibly compelling. 

Who is to blame? Is there anyone to blame? Can there be true repentance or true forgiveness? These are some of the questions this production poses. And the most important of all: how can one hold on to reason when the world around us is falling apart?

This has been the climax of People, Places and Things under Herrin's direction. It would make sense for the play to move on to a different vision and staging and see what else it has to offer.