Go Bang Your Tambourine
by Philip King
Finborough Theatre, August 2019
Director: Tricia Thorns
ABOUT THE PLAY
Young David Armstrong misses his mother. Following her death, he now lives alone in their North Country house, a devoted member of the Salvation Army. In the search for some company, David advertises for a lodger, and good-hearted, attractive Bess, a local barmaid, moves in. But when David’s estranged Casanova of a father decides to move back in, uninvited and unwanted, the impossible situation quickly comes to a head…
Seen in London for the first time, Philip King’s touching domestic family drama is a new insight into the work of a classic playwright.
Co-produced with Karl Sydow, in association with Tilly Films
PRESS
Another fascinating London premiere for Two’s Company and the Finborough…
Calver beautifully balances David’s damaged immaturity and intermittent emotional panics with a sweetness – and a struggling stubbornness – which show the man he might become…
It’s a fine performance. So are the others: Patience Tomlinson as Major Webber, ruthlessly pious, a neat foldaway face of certainty beneath her neat bonnet . In one of her departures from the house she deploys pursed lips and a kindly inclination of the head that indicate she will pray for its inmates with quite terrifying vigour. John Sackville, beaky and brisk and sleazily sexy, is the father; and there’s a really lovely, explosively life-affirming performance from Mia Austen as Bess…
Tricia Thorns’s production, and Alex Marker’s intimate front-room set, build a past world without caricature and with understanding, reminding us that there was a time-lag when the 1960’s were just starting to catch up on postwar primness…
It draws you in all the way: what more do you want? – Libby Purves, “TheatreCat”
The piece survives, in Tricia Thorns’ production, largely through the quality of the acting. Mia Austen has a touch of the young Billie Whitelaw as the big-hearted Bess, Sebastian Calver catches the callowness of the boy David, John Sackville lends his father a reptilian zest and Patience Tomlinson is all maternal kindness as the major. – Michael Billington – The Guardian:
Tricia Thorns’s production and quality performances from all the cast manage to give a unity to the conflicting elements for a modern audience. – Howard Loxton – British Theatre Guide:
Sebastian Calver, who is making his professional debut here, is an actor to look out for with his sensitive portrayal of the old-fashioned, isolated by. Mia Austen delights as Bess, her personality attractive to al.
The performances are excellent under Tricia Thorns’ naturalistic direction and much of the tragi-comic play will make you laugh at this slice of Northern life papering over the intergenerational and cross morality cracks. – Curtain Up
The cast is good, director Tricia Thorns creates their world well and there is, as so often at the Finborough, a superb set designed by Alex Marker of a small two up two down Lancashire house.
John Sackville is all bragging and sexual energy as the bar room Lothario Dad convinced all women want a bit of the other with him in complete contrast to his naive, wimpish son, except that both are resolutely determined to get what they want; Patience Tomlinson is a delight as the prim, interfering Salvationist. – Reviewsgate
