Denise Gough is a powerhouse as she reprises her original role of Emma in Duncan Macmillan’s People, Places and Things.
Eight years after the original production at the National Theatre (a co-production with Headlong), Denise Gogh has reprised her original role of Emma in Duncan Macmillan’s hard-hitting play People, Places and Things.
Emma is out of control. She’s forgetting her lines on stage. She’s sleeping on streets, waking up with strange men, stealing from people. Defiant that she has a problem, she checks into rehab, determined to procure a letter which will allow her to return to work. But the doctor is having none of it. In order to fully embrace her recovery Emma is repeatedly told that she needs to be honest. But Emma is a compulsive liar, constantly telling different stories about the death of her brother, and refusing to share in group sessions. Is Emma even her real name?
Even without the updates to the script (a reference to Covid here, another to Brexit there) this play would be relevant no matter the year. Addiction is a timeless theme, a disease suffered by countless people across the world which affects the lives of not only the addict, but anyone close to them too. Emma feels that all relationships are one sided, aside from drink and drugs, which are the only things which can ever love you back. Other than that, life is meaningless chaos. So why not drink?
Jeremy Herrin directs a sharp production, much the same as his original direction of the piece in 2015. The piece is well-cast, with fantastic performances across the board. Gough is captivating as Emma, which comes as no surprise since her performance back in 2015 won her an Olivier award. She is an absolute powerhouse, bringing a real raw emotional vulnerability to her performance. Her physicality is fantastically detailed and believable, from the stumbling lost drunk, through the denial and defiance, to the resolute recovering addict determined to return to work.
Malachi Kirby takes on the role of Mark, a fellow addict who offers reassurance as well as home-truths to Emma. Kirby performs with a laid-back ease which draws you in, leaving you conflicted when he reveals the story which brought him to rehab.
Sinéad Cusack brilliantly multi roles as Doctor, Therapist and Mum, differentiating her characters with subtle but effective shifts in accent and mannerisms. Her motherliness as her first two characters make the final scene all the more jarring. Kevin McMonagle has excellent comedic timing as dad (and is truly heart-breaking as Paul). Emma’s parents in this story reflect the struggle faced by those confronted with the difficult position of supporting a loved one who struggles with addiction, or cutting them off to protect themselves.
The set (designed by Bunny Christie) is fantastic. Walls of stark-white medical tiles easily transform into different rooms. An ensemble of Emmas’ crawl out of the bed and through the walls, bringing hallucinations to life accompanied by intense lighting (designed by James Frarnbcombe).
People, Places and Things is an honest representation of addiction and human vulnerability. It’s worth checking out the trigger warnings before you go for this one. This production runs at Trafalgar Theatre until 10th August this year. This isn’t one to miss!