Is Brief Encounter really the greatest love story ever told? Brief Encounter is the story of an affair between a married doctor, Alec and a suburban housewife, Laura. I left not really sure if I was supposed to route for them or not. However, they are not the only relationship at the centre of this plot. There are two other love stories at play. Both of which are a lot easier to support and represent love at different ages. Myrtle and Albert signify when you get a second chance at love later in life while Beryl and Stanley symbolise the young lovers that are all consumed by their love.
This Douglas Rintoul production is broken up with musical interludes played live by the incredibly talented 8-piece cast. They demonstrate their beautiful skills on a variety of instruments including pianos, guitars, cellos, trumpets, violins, and trombones.
The staging is beautifully simple with a circular gauze which they pull around throughout the production to change the scenery during the musical performances. The seating in Wiltshire Creative’s Main Stage Auditorium’s red old-fashioned seating really adds to bring you into the 1930s cinema feel.
This production is adapted from the 1945 film which was originally based on Noël Coward’s one-act play, Still Life. Emma Rice has woven together this new telling of the story where an accidental meeting turns into a passionate forbidden love that can only end in heart break.
The lead performances are from Hanora Kamen and Jammy Kasongo. The chemistry they have built between them is undeniable, that although you know how wrong their romance is you can understand how they went down that path. Overall, though the standout performance came from Samuel Morgan-Grahame as Albert who brings the brilliant light and comic relief to the performance.
- Show title: Brief Encounter
- Venue: Wiltshire Creative
- Review date: Thursday 13th April
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