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The show deals with some major issues, homosexuality and incest and they are dealt with in a very in your face way and it�s good to see that they haven�t shied away from them.
A brief description of the storyline is as follows. Eddie works in the port and lives in Brooklyn with his wife Beatrice and niece Catherine. His quiet life is threatened when Beatrice�s cousins, Rodolpho and Marco, enter the country illegally and Catherine falls in love with Rodolpho. Trying to deal with his own incestuous feelings for Catherine, he finds himself becoming increasingly jealous of Rodolpho, telling people that because Rodolpho has blonde hair and sews, sings and cooks that he isn�t right � in other words Rodolpho is gay.
The first time Catherine and Rodolpho are alone together, they sleep together and Eddie comes back and finds them. To try and make Catherine see what Rodolpho is like Eddie kisses him and argues that because Rodolpho didn�t break free then he wanted to be kissed. Faced with the fact that he is going to loose Catherine and there is nothing he can do about it Eddie reports Marco and Rodolpho to immigration and they are arrested. Marco realising what Eddie has done spits in his face in front of everyone and tells everyone that Eddie betrayed them. Marco is only released from jail after promising not to see revenge on Eddie. As Rodolpho and Catherine are on their way to get married, Marco comes looking for Eddie and a fight breaks out and it ends in tragedy when Marco kills Eddie.
James Earl Adair is fantastic as Alfieri, the lawyer Eddie goes to and the narrator of the story. Alfieri can see the story unfolding even before anything has happened and realises early on that things can only end in tragedy. The scenes between James and Phil Whitchurch as Edie are just magical and very gripping and they really do have you on the edge of your seats.
It�s so wonderful to have Diana Croft back on stage; this is the first drama that I have seen her do and also her first role since Leader of the Pack. She is just sensational as Beatrice, Eddie�s wife and she acts hers socks off and gives such a strong performance. Diana gives everything to the role, one that is a wife who is questioning her life and her marriage and wondering what has happened to her husband. The look of horror on her face when she realises that her husband is going to be killed is so convincing and the agonising cry when it happens made me shudder.
Phil Reed gives a good all round performance as Rodolpho, and yes as has been reported before he does have blonde hair. Rodolpho seems a much stronger part and a much more meatier role than I have seen him play before and this is a good thing as I feel that it�s stretching him as an actor. Phil sings without accompaniment during the show, a version of the jazz song Paper Doll complete with dance routine that is very funny to watch. As Rodolpho Phil comes across as very camp at times as there are doubts about Rodolpho�s sexuality. When he Rodolpho is trying to convince Catherine that he loves her at the start of the second act Phil gives it his all and is particularly strong. At times his Italian accent is a bit ropey but I think that could be forgiven considering how good his acting is.
James Waverley is brilliant as Rodolpho�s older brother Marco, he takes part in one of the most spectacular fight sequences I have ever seen at the end of the show and it�s so believable that you do sit on the edge of your seat and feel every punch and slap with them.
Maria Lawson gives a good strong performance as Catherine and it�s easily the best I have seen her act. Her portrayal of Catherine, a girl who wants to be grown up yet still wants to be a child at the same time is very moving. You really feel for her when she has to choose between the man she loves and her family as she realises that she can�t have them both. And the scene where she turns to Rodolpho at the start of the second act had me on the edge of my seat.
Philip Whitchurch in his first show at the Queen�s doesn�t disappoint, he owns the stage and gives a very real and scary portrayal as Eddie. He is magnificent in the fight scene and his acting is so wonderful to watch.
Queen�s Theatre regular, Richard Emerson and newcomer Eamonn O�Dwyer make up the compliment as Louis and Mike but these are small roles so it doesn�t give you a chance to really see how good they are.
A View from the Bridge is a credit to all who appear in the show and is a brilliant and gripping drama.
Catch the show if you can.
Helen Baker
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