Review: FREEHOLD by Roger Goldsmith at Barons Court Theatre 17 May - 21 May 2022

‘very promising material but not yet fully realised’

It’s joyous to be back at Barons Court Theatre, my first trip since the theatres re-opened. It has a new management team who by their own account are still exploring what the space can yield. For those unfamiliar with Barons Court black box, it is in the basement and has large pillars giving its playing space an enclosed and netherworld feel. 

Although the set is a living room, the qualities of the venue are perfect for the story of John, a 50 something man living with abject and self-imposed loneliness. Into his life comes Mavis, looking for the owners of the flat above because she is considering buying it. The pair might become neighbours. During the course of their conversation about this possibility all sorts of personal details about themselves are revealed.

It is a very gentle play and the details revealed aren’t so much shocking as a little sad. The play reminds me of Beckett's Footfalls, all about a woman who has not lived her best life, in fact she hasn’t really lived her life at all. Whereas in Footfalls no one comes to save her, in Freehold, the possibility of John coming out of his shell thanks to meeting Mavis might actually happen. 

The writing by Roger Goldsmith, shows a sensitive hand, with a knack for writing characterisations which ring true. Michael Tuffnell as John is suitably confused by the advances of Mavis and then gradually accepting, but not in one big swoop, in degrees (just as might be expected in real life). I found Tuffnell presented a man so repressed that he was sometimes a little comical giving a small amount of light relief (John is quite a pedantic kind of chap).   He might also have gained some fellow feeling at times from some audience members, for example when he was preferring to do the gardening rather than engage with a new partner’s kisses and cuddles.  There was a certain poignancy to his role and his presentation of it. 

The role of Mavis should have been played by Samantha Powell but on the night I was watching the show, a substitute was needed. Gerrie Skeens stepped up with a script in hand reading of the role. It was incredibly impressive how she managed to give the role a bit of sauce and a bit of spice (without overdoing it) as her role is a far more extrovert one than that of John. She is also looking to buy the flat above and it never seems quite certain whether she’s just playing with John in order to get her foot in the door (and purchase that flat gaining a part of the freehold).

It's a play that needed two fully rehearsed actors to give the show the best possible rendition and get across entirely what was meant whilst also being entertaining.  It was very promising material with two actors who seemed to have the rapport needed to bring this two-hander alive. Director Alexander Smith appears to be very much on the right track, and hopefully will get another opportunity to see his work fully realised.

FREEHOLD by Roger Goldsmith at Barons Court Theatre 17 May - 21 May 2022

7:30pm Barons Court Theatre

Written by Roger Goldsmith

Directed by Alexander HJ Smith

Actors: Gerrie Skeens and Michael Tuffnell

Reviewer:

Heather Jeffery is Editor of London Pub Theatres Magazine