Written by Quebecois playwright Catherine-Anne Toupin, Right Now mixes comedy, tragedy and a surrealist edge to deliver laughter, thrills and the unexpected in a bizarre and entertaining experience. Thirty-somethings Alice and Ben quickly reveal that something serious is amiss with their relationship, but the cause is unclear. Ben works all hours as a doctor, Alice stays at home with the baby, but neither seems to be making real contact with the other.
Enter Juliette from the flat across the corridor, a pushy older woman who says exactly what she thinks. And soon, whether they like it or not, Ben and Alice find themselves playing frequent hosts to Juliette, husband Gilles and their disturbing son Francois. As this trio worm their way deeper and deeper into the life of the young couple the latter find they no control of events and their own behaviour becomes as odd as that of their pushy guests. But who does the final outcome suit best?
Despite being consistently laugh out loud funny, the script takes the audience into darker realms, evoking themes of manipulation, sexual rapaciousness, alternative lives and the disabling impact of bereavement, especially the loss of a child. It is for us to decide who is being honest and who the liar, who the victim and who the predator. And if maybe these grotesque scenes are all in the mind of.... who exactly?
All five members of the cast are superb, but Lindsey Campbell deserves a special mention for her Alice, a powerful study in pain and confusion.
A hilarious drama that twists your expectations and leaves you questioning your own values. Highly recommended.
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