Recently Today' by Robert Holman was presented at ArtsEd Schools in Bath Road, Chiswick.
The author of this play of love, sex, sociology and politics set in pre-war England gave himself an Everest of a task by combining all these elements and ArtsEd in its production was equally bold. It is much to their credit that both came so very close to the summit.
The scene is first set in the Yorkshire Dales in 1936 where lovers meet and the unemployed criss-cross the roads seeking work or poaching rabbits.
A married teacher who once had hopes as a composer, is meeting his mistress but his bitter wife soon realises all is not well.
We revert to the 20s when at Cambridge he meets a homosexual toff who introduces him to his rich aunt who wants to be his patron, an offer he spurns.
Act 2 is set in Spain, 1937, where musician, worker and toff meet, fighting Fascism with the International Brigade in realistic railway station, battle and hospital scenes.
Finally the anti-hero with his new wife, returns to face the realities of a 1946 post-war Britain. This play was put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1984.
As always all the actors gave their all and the usual ArtsEd high standard was well maintained.
Luke Rutherford as the teacher gives a fine performance; Erin McHugh as the embittered wife and David Mendham as a German in the Brigade bring their characters vividly to life.
Richard Langton
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