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Adapted from Molière’s "The Misanthrope", this is the story of journalist and arts critic Alan, an irritable cynic constantly driven mad by the fawning of those around him. Regardless of despising all that she represents, Allan's romantic attentions are focused Celia, a selfish, fickle and irresponsible IT girl - turning a blind eye to the genuine devotion of the self-effacing Eileen. Into the mix are thrown a disparate assembly of flatterers and hangers-on, all adding to the social intrigue. Can Alan keep his sanity and secure the affections of Celia in a world of two-facedness and back-stabbing where no-one is safe?
The play follows the life and relationships of Alan (the 'grouch' of the title), played by Allan Corduner who, despite his obvious faults, brings a redeeming vulnerability to the character that makes him essentially likeable. Alan has built a wall around himself to keep people out, everyone that is except Celia, with whom he fancies himself to be in love. Celia, played by Denise Gough, is perhaps the least likeable of the characters, a self-centered spoilt little rich girl who perhaps does not set out to hurt anyone but cares little when she does. She does appear to love Alan, but not enough to let it interfere with her pursuit of her own petty pleasures. Far more worthy of Alan's attentions is Eileen (Kate Miles), a rather mousy creature who is devoted to Alan although he himself cannot see it. Alan's other true friend is Philip, played by Stephen Pinder, who, like Eileen, stands by his friend despite receiving little gratitude for it. The other characters are a mottley assortment of hangers-on who, like Celia, Alan would be much better off without.
The witty dialogue is written entirely in rhyming satirical verse which is delivered in a kind of modern Iambic, with the second part of a rhyming couplet often being delivered by a different character. Take for example the following:
Philip - "Do you despise your fellow men?"
Alan - "Are eggs the product of a hen?"
The comedy for the most part is humourous as opposed to laugh-out-loud funny, with the notable exception to some of the exchanges in the opening sequence to the second act. The rhyming verse, meanwhile, although it seems gimmicky at first, flows easily and some becomes engrossing as we try to anticipate the second half of each couplet. Few of the rhymes appear forced or contrived, and when this is the case they are accentuated so as to make that part of the joke.
The elegant set beautifully represents the play's single location of a modern loft apartment. A spiral metal staircase comes up through the floor (from an unseen door to the outside world) and rises through two levels to an unseen upper floor.
Witty, poignant, engrossing and, at times, very funny. An excellent new play from a talented writer.