REVIEW: ROSE by Martin Sherman at Park Theatre until 15 October 2022

‘Maureen Lipman delivers a masterclass in acting and storytelling at the Park Theatre’ ★★★★★ 

Lipman performs the eponymous Rose, a captivating older Jewish woman, with humour and gravitas. The reason she is telling us this narrative, the reason she has so much time is that she is sitting shivah (or shiv’a), which is seven days of prescribed mourning for someone very close: a perfect premise for having time to tell an epic story.

In a breath-taking and reverberating monologue, during which she takes conscientious sips of water (along with tales about her doctor’s advice), Lipman brings us from a little town in Ukraine (Yultishka) to Warsaw, Poland to Germany to Palestine to various areas of the United States (Atlantic City, Florida, LA and Arizona) and Israel. Odyssean in scale, the story includes love and loss and love again. It is a story of generations of Jews and their cultural shifts and transformation by place and time, and yet deeply personal.

Despite this grief-fuelled premise, there is humour interspersed through Rose’s story as well as enigmatic characters, starting with her parents, moving to her lovers, and finishing with her grandchildren. Lipman is the ultimate magician but instead of conjuring up rabbits from hats, she takes us on a time-traveling voyage and brings to life the colourful characters of previous generations with brilliant Jewish self-deprecation.

A raised, diagonally set square stage bears a wooden bench from which Lipman hosts her masterclass, with some basic props. There is subtle music punctuating Rose's story and mist and coloured light on the translucent screen behind add potency. All expertly handled so as to enhance the narrator’s tale without calling attention away from it.

This piece was performed at the National Theatre in 1999 and it has aged well. In fact, in light of recent political events, it may have even more relevance than 20 years ago. What could be a political landmine turns out to be a balanced perspective on land ownership, history and basic humanity. Rose’s story cycles back in the most profound way. Back to the reason she is sitting shivah. Back to the issue of man’s inhumanity towards man. Back to the astute lessons learned throughout her travels.

Infused with humour, spiced with colourful characters, and seasoned by settings around the world, Rose is also a masterclass in human compassion.

Photography: (top image) Mark Senior / (lower image) Pamela Raith

ROSE by Martin Sherman

Park Theatre

13 Sept to 15 Octo 2022

Box Office https://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/rose

Performed by Dame Maureen Lipman

Written by Martin Sherman

Directed by Scott LeCrass

David Shields: Set & Costume Designer

Jane Lalljee: Lighting Designer

Julian Starr: Sound Designer and Composer

Thomas Hopkins, Guy Chapman: Producer and General Manager

Michael Quinn: Producer

Clive Chenery: Associate General Manager

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew Mariam, alumna of Guardian critic Mark Fisher’s theatre criticism course