Review: Heart Wall, Bush Theatre *** ½

review: Heart Wall, Bush Theatre

Does home leave you when you move away to London? And do the home town wheels stop turning? These are the questions that sit at the heart of Kit Withington’s Heart Wall, a play that reminds us that while we might seek a fresh start in the city, the community we left behind continues to spin its own stories, guard its own ghosts and have its own pull on us.

Kit Withington, an alum of the Bush Writers’ Group who previously wrote As We Face The Sun, has crafted a script that feels deeply rooted in its community. Directed by Katie Greenall, who is known for the recent production of COMMUNION, this world premiere at the Bush Theatre is a bittersweet and tender exploration of the long tail of grief.

We find Franky, played with a searching vulnerability by Rowan Robinson, returning to her local pub for the first time in years. She seems to be navigating a landscape of mourning that was established long ago, trying to find her own footing while buried family secrets leak through the cracks in every room. There is a sense that she is living in the shadow of a history she did not witness. The production offers a window into the difficult reality of a family functioning when its foundation is built on a past tragedy that cannot be spoken aloud.

Deka Walmsley is remarkable as the father, Dez. He carries a heavy, physical guilt that manifests as a worrying confusion. We are left guessing whether his character is struggling with the onset of dementia or is simply lost in the fog of unresolved pain. When he accidentally burns himself, it serves as a startling metaphor for a man trying to cauterise a wound that the rest of the world seems to him to have already moved on from. Sophie Stanton provides a grounded counterpoint as Linda. While the script adds external domestic complications, the real power lies in the way Stanton and Walmsley portray their unravelling life within the home.

The pub atmosphere is lifted by Olivia Forrest as Charlene, who brings a vibrant and sympathetic energy to the stage. While the character of Valentine, played by Aaron Anthony, feels slightly underwritten compared to the central family, Anthony brings a steady and welcome presence to the world of the play.

l-r-Olivia-Forrest-Charlene-and-Aaron-Anthony-Valentine-in-_Heart-Wall_-at-Bush-Theatre.-Photo-credit-Harry-Elletson.-201 — Olivia Forrest as Charlene and Aaron Anthony as Valentine in *Heart Wall* at Bush Theatre
Photo credit Harry Elletson

The set design by Hazel Low is atmospheric, yet the expansive excellence of the pub layout means the domestic house scenes occasionally feel constrained in shape. Water is used effectively, which is a device that has appeared in several productions lately. While its presence was directly related to the plot and justifiable here, one wonders if its impact is starting to diminish slightly through over frequent use.

There were also moments where the narrative felt a little too dense. It was difficult sometimes to tell if a piece of information was intended to build an answer to the family mystery or was other character development. There was also a phone sound that went slightly awry. Rather than pulling us into Franky’s world, it led many of us to look around for a culprit in the audience, momentarily breaking the spell of the play.

The idea of the pre-show karaoke is a hugely appealing to set the mood, but at our performance, the silence from the stalls was a little awkward. Perhaps a few “plants” in the audience to kick things off would give others the confidence to join in.

What stands out in Heart Wall is how it validates the lives of those who stayed behind. It challenges the common narrative that moving on is the only form of progress and instead suggests that there is a quiet, difficult dignity in staying to face the truth. It is a rewarding evening that reminds us that even when we hide the bits of ourselves we are not proud of, our home usually knows our story.

Heart Wall runs at the Bush Theatre until 16 May.

[Thank you to Bush Theatre for a gifted ticket for an honest review. You can read my other Bush Theatre reviews here].

RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour 40 minutes

Age Guidance: None Given, But Red Bus LondoniUM Suggests 16+

This play contains strong language and a visual depiction of burns on the skin. The narrative also involves mature discussions surrounding grief, self-harm, and suicide, including the sensitive topics of drowning and the death of a child.