For anyone living ‘hand to mouth’, ‘existing’ (as opposed to ‘living’) is hard. But when you are part of a couple and the ‘good things’ of life seem out of your grasp, being unable to provide an acceptable standard of living for your partner can be heartbreaking, as well as a major strain on the relationship…
Written by Tommy Sissons and directed by Lilly Driscoll, Silent Houses examines the relationship between money and opportunities in the aspirations of couples, especially the less affluent. At the centre of the play lies Cecily (Aoife Scott) – who works in nursery – and Ralph (Tobi Ejirele) – currently ‘unemployed’, but through one means or another hustles up money or goods whenever they are needed.
Ralph would dearly like to be a parent. So would Cecily, but she knows only too well that they are barely getting by themselves, without another mouth to feed. Having worked in lots of different areas over the years, for very little money or stability, Ralph is looking for his ‘break’. Luckily for him, this occurs shortly after Cecily tells him she’s pregnant. But what should be a new chapter in their life soon sours and the foundation of their relationship falters…
While it is obviously very different in terms of locale and time period, Silent Houses in spirit is a modern ‘Thomas Hardy’ tale, showing how money – directly or obliquely – influences the choices we make or think we have. While Ralph thinks he and Ceciliy are less well-off but happy, ekeing out an existence on the breadline is not something she wants to endure indefinitely. Also, Ralph’s actions as a teenager and a younger man have a bearing on the present, and in his own way just as guilty as Cecily of being ‘impetuous’, but for entirely different reasons and circumstances.
Completing the ménage à trois is Albert (Nicholas Clarke) – a police constable who takes an interest in the couple and whose agenda becomes clearer as the play progesses. What can be said at this juncture is that he is a catalyst for many of the events in the play, leading to irrevocable changes…
Even though Silent Houses isn’t a ‘cheerful’ play, it does hold a mirror to what is reality for a great many people in Britain’s cities, and shows to a greater or lesser degree that all human beings at times are capable of being ‘altruistic’, ‘selfish’ or ‘self-destructive’… While the cast give their all to their respective roles, a special mention should be made for Scott’s performance, who conveys with credibility Cecily’s conflicted nature – wanting to be supportive, yet also wanting more out of life.
© Michael Davis 2024
Silent Houses runs at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre from 11th to 15th June.
Breaking The Fourth Wall 