Simon Ward reviews Griefcase at the Hope Theatre

Co-produced by the Hope Theatre and Tailwind Physical Theatre, Griefcase is a profoundly moving examination of grief in all of its manifestations. With traverse staging, directed by Jack Mckee, we watch on as G (Ru Lawrence, who also wrote the piece), grapples with the sudden and unexpected death of his mother.

The play brilliantly explores the banality of everyday life, and the awkwardness of friends and colleagues when confronted with the absolute finality of death. We hear G on the phone to his mother – the rushed chat as he gets on with his life, never suspecting for a second that this may be the last time that they ever speak. It is excellent, too, on all the unfinished business that death inevitably brings, especially with someone so young. We come to realise that their relationship was complicated, to say the least – there were definitely times when Mum (Collette Hodson) could be a nightmare. But at other times she was exactly what G needed – and he still needs her now, even though she is gone. All the well-meaning efforts of sister Lucy (Poppy Janisch) and friend Garry (Jack St Leger) cannot help him to get over this fact – only G can find a way through.

The audience is thrust into the heart of G’s struggle. Through the ensemble’s use of carefully crafted physical theatre, we witness G trying to deal with a cascading torrent of emotion – of guilt, anxiety, loss, anger. He has to find a way to keep on living and function for the rest of his life. The cast rotate through a variety of roles as he navigates his way. Sometimes they help but, more often, their actions are either irrelevant or actively unhelpful. Most of all, we are in G’s head, where he feels overwhelmed and suffocated. The act of clearing out his mother’s council flat brings home the absurdity – how can a whole life be reduced to a few belongings? And yet how can these things carry so much emotional weight?

This is a piece that will resonate with anyone who has suffered a loss. It is a play of few words, but what dialogue there is is perfectly judged. G’s emotional state, and the sheer effort of will it takes him to begin to piece his life back together are beautifully captured by the ensemble moving together. It is a rare privilege to see physical theatre of this quality in such an intimate venue – it is almost overwhelming. There were moments when one was aware that the greater distance afforded by a larger venue would have allowed us to take everything in at once, but this was more than compensated for by the power of being so close to the action. This is a deeply compassionate piece, bleakly funny at times, as well as challenging and heart-breaking to watch. In the end, there is real catharsis to be found here.

Griefcase is running at the Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, London, N1 1RL, until Saturday 3rd October