This is a touching piece, a gentle exploration of a woman's vulnability with flashes of tenderness and trembling insecurities. There’s a feeling of a lot unsaid, but even so lots is explained, feelings unpack themselves like old clothes left in a suitcase and are then thoroughly shaken out and aired. The character is, after all, a councillor, although - as is true of most councillors-  she’s never very comfortable talking about her own feelings.

We explore the reasons why & how she’s where she is at that moment and using the '10 questions' idea ( of a media interview) is a lovely way of letting the character lead us in a rambling, staccato, but never incoherent way across the landscape of her life.  We explore the geography of her heart as she reminisces, reflects and turns over regrets with the kind-hearted resignation that people use when the pain fades to  a mere echo of its former raging storm. The core of this play is about forgiveness, of others and ultimately of one’s self.

The ending was  felt a little tacked on for my taste but is, I suppose,  true of a women of a certain age looking for love, and I know people who have done the same, but the audience in me wanted something left hanging,  the rest of the audience seemed happy with the way it concluded.

The acting is touch perfect, and for the best part of an hour Ginny Davis breaths conviction in the role and allows us to peep behind the net curtains of a well ordered life to see the dust of generations piling up, the cluttered corners and the brave effort made to confront the consequences of decisions made long ago. I was particularly touched by the revel of why this character decided to stop working in her chosen career and won’t spoil your pleasure of this well honed work by revelling it here, but her moment of clarity in the midst of human tragedy was believable, honest and raw. I felt I was there.

This is a lovely piece of festival theatre in a lovely festival theatre, I’d recommend it. director Tim Willis has formulated a still, quiet setting and yet you feel after an hour that you’ve witnessed something worthy. Nothing great,  shocking or melodramatic, but the simple truth of a life explained with all the tender love, regret and hope that we all share when we tell the stories of our lives and I left feeling that this play, if nothing else, teaches us that hope is a cheap as despair.

I wouldn’t be too surprised if this ends up on radio 4, it would work well as a radio play too, without any disrespect to Ginny Davis who acted with precision and humanity throughout this whole piece. "10 Questions" is a psychologically revealing play demonstrating a woman's vulnability. Written by Ana-Maria Bamberger. Co-written and performed by Ginny Davis

See trailer here: 


On until 15 May 2011.
Marlborough Theatre
Brighton
More info on the playwright and actor here;

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