BWW Reviews: JONAH AND OTTO, Park Theatre, October 29 2014

Robert Holman's Jonah and Otto was first performed at Manchester's Royal Exchange in 2008 and this revival at the Park Theatre is directed by Tim Stark and stars Alex Waldmann and Peter Egan as Jonah and Otto.

It tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two men, 62-year-old clergyman Otto who has become so disillusioned with his life that he no longer believes in God, and troubled 26-year-old Jonah who carts his six-week-old daughter around in a trolley. In less than 24 hours the men bond over their loneliness, discussing their families, their fears, love, death, sex and faith with a stark and raw honesty rarely seen onstage. The play is deeply symbolic, particularly the scene where Jonah strips Otto of his clothes while he is sleeping. There are also homoerotic undercurrents and at one point the audience questions the true relationship between Otto and Jonah when Jonah jokingly calls him his father after Otto reveals he wished that he had a son.

Egan as the foul-mouthed, generous vicar perfectly captures the sheer loneliness Otto feels, despite being surrounded by his wife and daughters while at home. Both actors work well together to ensure the audience's attention doesn't waiver, which is especially difficult given that the production centres around the men's conversations as oppose to any action. Waldmann as the young epileptic Jonah, swings between anger and vulnerability as he reveals more about his personal life than he ever has before. As Jonah opens up about his family, the audience begins to understand why he is so intent on following his girlfriend to France - he wants to give his daughter a stable home-life which he felt he lacked.

While Holman's play has a hint of Beckett and Pinter (I'm big fans of both), it's not as emotionally engaging or dramatic as either playwright and that is where it ultimately fails. Scenes which should be humorous, such as the stripping scene, fall flat as it feels completely unbelievable and made me feel very awkward. The repetitive dialogue also becomes tiresome, though Egan and Waldmann both offer intelligent performances. The play seems simple on the surface but is ultimately engaging - delving into the private thoughts and feelings humans process every day.

Photo Credit: Jack Sain

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