Have faith in quality drama

BRIAN Friel's Faith Healer is such a perfect fit for a rural tour of village halls and community centres that it comes as a surprise that it's about to embark on one for the first time.

After all, this is the tale of faith healer Frank, who drives a clapped out van to isolated communities accompanied by his wife Grace and theatrical agent Teddy.

As such, it will seem even more apt when, after leaving the Darwin Suite, these characters will be seen in small venues across the East Midlands.

Friel's play is a series of monologues, starting and ending with Frank (Martin Jenkins) - treading the absurd line between miracle worker and charlatan, all the time hitting the bottle.

In between we here confessions from Grace (Angela McGowan and Teddy (Stephen Ley) that explore the same ground as Frank but from very different viewpoints.

As the play proceeds, we see the cruelty, the pain but, above all, the reliance this unfortunate trio have on each other.

The great beauty of this Derby Live co-production with Nottingham's New Perspectives Theatre Company is the way it draws the audience into the epicentre of the drama.

The set and staging make the audience feel part of the action and while one character performs a monologue the other two sit watching with us.

The result is that we are drawn to Frank's world, slowly sucked in, just as Grace and Teddy have been before us.

With a trio of strong performances, harnessed by director Daniel Buckroyd, this is fascinating theatre that is coming to a venue near you.

Nigel Powlson

Faith Healer can be seen in the Darwin Suite, Derby, tonight and tomorrow (call 01332 255800). It's then on tour until December 12, visiting Ecclesbourne School, Duffield on Tuesday (01332 840645) and Highfield School, Matlock, on November 18 (call 01629 581888).