REVIEW: LUCKY DOG by Tim Connery at Bridge House Theatre 1 - 12 October 2024

‘Nail-biting look at the horror of compulsive gambling’ ★★★★

Tim Connery’s new play is richly compelling. It takes us to the heart of compulsive gambling as well as intelligently exploring the psychology, philosophy and mathematics of chance. And in the hands of three strong actors it zings along.

Joseph Lindoe presents an unnamed protagonist who rents a tiny room in a south coast town so that he can access the casino. He has to gamble, just as much as the dog he eventually adopts with Jenny (Kate Loustau) who becomes his wife, has to run. And it’s an outstanding performance with a wide range of introspection and different levels of naturalistic dialogue. He addresses the audience making it clear that he knows his faults only too well. In conversation with Jenny he is pleasant and loveable and we see an affection in his relationship with the dog especially when he depicts a near miss as the dog charges away across a main road. Moreover he’s increasingly lost in his dealings with an utterly revolting loan shark played with terrifying conviction by Kurt Lucas who several times made me jump with his volatile, bellowed invective. The character Lindoe creates is rounded and alarmingly believable.

Of course his worsening spiral of debt and the obscene interest rate he’s facing puts pressure on his relationship with the ever patient Jenny whom Loustau makes sweet and loving but strong – and almost plausible. She has knowingly married a man with a dreadful weakness and I did wonder a woman in her position would be quite so accepting and uncritical. She is slightly too saintly but it doesn’t affect the overall impact of the play.

Director Alex Donald knows how to rack up the tension. There’s one scene in which the roulette wheel is spinning – reflected on the ceiling – and the sound is escalating while Kurt Lucas, as the croupier, mutters numbers sotto voce and we are all on the edge of our seats. And I don’t suppose I was the only audience member having to cling on tight to prevent myself from shouting “Please, please please don’t go to the casino” at Lindhoe’s character as he gets deeper and deeper into trouble. In a sense it’s a horror story and as such it’s nail-biting theatre.

Box Office https://thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/lucky-dog/

CAST

Joseph Lindoe, Kate Loustau, Kurt Lucas

ARTISTIC TEAM

Director Alexander Donald

Writer Tim Connery

Producer JLA Productions & Stage D'Or

Lighting Designer JLA Productions

Sound Designer Luke Adamson

Susan Elkin has been reviewing theatre for over 30 years.