SOME plays are incredible as they are based on brilliant books. But that is not the be all and end all - Bindweed by a debut playwright, has more than enough material, insight, and humour to merit a bestseller. ‘Bindweed’ is billed as a “shattering and darkly funny” play about tackling domestic abuse at its root.
It follows Jen (Laura Hanna) an ex-police officer who for many reasons is laser-focused on breaking the cycle of domestic abuse. Jen is kind, funny, and such a tender emphatic person, which means watching her being knocked down continually by men convicted for domestic abuse, or by visibly sexist superiors and friends, is uncomfortable but riveting. In the first scene it is established that Jen has moved back from London to Colchester – a very loose setting – and throughout Jen is really fighting old-fashioned attitudes from men paying for women on the first date to diet culture.
Highlight - The friendship between Laura Hanna and Josie Brightwell's characters was the heart of the show (Image: Will Green) It is a faux pas for Gen Z or Millennials to discuss weight woes and Laura grimaces in these short moments, helping this commentary build up into the taboo of married couples perhaps ‘playing games’ with each other. At times the play felt like whenever I’ve witnessed in public typically older couples who snipe, compete and openly argue and wonder what happens behind closed doors. Nuanced - Martha Loader's male cast were complex and realised characte.
