‘Frozen’ – Theatre Royal Haymarket – Tuesday 10th April 2018 ‘Marcella’ – Season 2 - ITV - Final Episode broadcast Monday 9th April 2018

(Rated 7/5 ) 

So we have 2 lady leads again but this time in 2 different productions – ‘Frozen’ and ‘Marcella’ - yet linked by a single theme hence my writing about them together. And that theme child abuse and murder! Jolly really! Oh and I suppose another link is two supreme actresses who both started out in soaps; Suranne Jones as feisty Karen McDonald in ‘Coronation Street’ and Anna Friel as the ground-breaking lesbian and incest-abuse survivor/challenger Beth Jordache in ‘Brookside’. They are both of a rare breed who do well in soap and then even better when they leave. Rumour is Suranne will be making a return to ‘Corrie’ – maybe they’re concerned about ratings when the demise of Phelan finally comes ;)

Anyway both plays are profoundly horrifying and leave you chilled and stunned. They explore the psychology of abuse – in various forms - on all concerned.

In ‘Frozen’ by Bryony Lavery, Suranne plays the mother of a little girl who has gone missing. Jason Watkins’s character turns out to be her abuser and child murderer. And Nina Sosanya acts as a doctor studying the factors which cause people to abuse. Taking place over a number of years, much of the play is delivered in the form of monologues from each of those 3 – alone on stage communicating as though directly to the audience or we act as witnesses to their processes. We feel intrigued as to whether these three will interact at some point. Suranne’s character fully engages us and with her highly sensitive exceptionally natural emotional range we feel such empathy for her. Jason is excellently creepy and repellent as the abuser – his perversion and motivations feel so real – again excellently performed. It is down to Nina to initially bring us into the play and as time proceeds involve us mentally – we already are emotionally - as she presents her lecture on the psychology of abuse. This involves neuroscience and the impact of abuse, stress and neglect on the human brain. Ultimately we learn what may lead someone to harm someone else. This is powerful naturalistic stuff and presents us with themes of emotional paralysis and the way forgiveness can both help those who have suffered as a result of abuse and as a catalyst for an abuser to reconnect with emotion even feel pain and empathy for their victim.

‘Marcella’ in some contrast has much more of a surreal tone to it and there seems little hope of forgiveness in its stark, brutal scandinoir-type-ness. No surprise as it is written by the outstanding ‘The Bridge’’s writer Hans Rosenfeldt. Whilst Suranne’s character seems to have had a normal down-to-earth life before the loss of her daughter, Anna’s character is a deeply disturbed mother with severe mental health issues. She is just as – if not more – traumatised – even prior to the actions of the piece – than the perpetrators of the crimes she is investigating in her detective work. As such she struggles as a mother whilst we feel the full warmth of mothering from Suranne’s character. However both also show remarkable strength and humanity.

‘Marcella’ raises some interesting, dubious and at times horrific ideas as to how to prevent abuse – no spoilers here so I will say no more! ‘Frozen’ is kinder and more compassionate about it though to what result? Again no spoilers.

Though these both come with an emotional health warning – I would highly recommend both dramas. Enjoy is not the word but they touched me profoundly and I feel I have gained from experiencing them.

A little note on settings – TV is clearly your TV in your own room J The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a wonderful ‘oldy wordly’ classic theatre – with lots of stairs – though I was told of a way to get directly to street level via a back-entrance – and ornate décor. I have enjoyed many masterclasses held there and recommend for students of theatre as well as audience members interested in the theatrical process.

Frozen & Marcella – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2018