Unearthed, Swindon Arts Centrre, Old Town

 

ONCE firmly kept in the shadows, carers have now hit the headlines. The plight of those in care and the people who look after them is now firmly in the limelight.

The stage has so far steered clear of this complex and controversial topic – until now. Breaking the silence is Folio Theatre’s Unearthed, a drama that delves into the subject with a raw honesty.

As the play opens, we meet Ben and Eliza who are preparing to bury a time capsule to mark their 18th birthday.  Their youthful insouciance is lost forever when their father has a stroke on his way to join them for this symbolic rite of passage.

Some years later the siblings, now estranged, are brought back together by their father’s death. In his will he leaves them a baffling list of tasks to be complete before they can inherit.

Honouring his wishes is not easy for the brother and sister as they are forced to come face to face with events from their childhood. Their father’s dubious sense of humour also momentarily thrusts them into a life of crime as each tasks forces them to confront home truths and deep-rooted guilt and resentment.

Lizzie Stables and Jeremy Lloyd’s flawless portrayal of Ben and Eliza, draws us into their charmed world. The happy moments of the past with brother and sister teasing and squabbling through summer days is all the more poignant when contrasted with the present painfully strained relationship.

Unearthed could easily have fallen down the trap of melodrama or downright sappiness, as is so often the case with a play dealing with illness, a family breakdown or denial. Yet the cast struck the perfect tone, weaving stirring scenes with amusing interludes, including a delightful scene with Ben and Eliza launching into a dance routine to S Club 7 in a graveyard.

It is a touching glimpse into the lives of those left grappling in the wake of a shattering illness, it is a must-see. Unearthed is a masterpiece! - Marion Sauvebois