Godchild review, Hampstead Downstairs

Godchild is a canter around the midlife anxieties of the childless. When Lou's fragile goddaughter, Minnie, comes to stay, it's a mixed blessing. On the one hand it enables Lou to express maternal instincts she clearly possesses; on the other she is forced to confront those she clearly lacks. Opposing tensions litter Deborah Bruce's play: choosing childlessness may seem deep and important for ten minutes, but ultimately, it's just the exercising of a choice. What's the drama?

Lou is still a child, anyway. Her skill is turning every life event into a drama.  She is the main ingredient in a soup of possibilities that the writer thickens with in-your-face symbolism. Lou's boyfriend, Andy (parallels with Little Britain are inevitable, though accidental), may or may not have fathered a child while at university. Lou's secret lover, Karl, has a baby seat in his car but denies there's a baby.  Insecure optimist, Minnie, whose mother tried to abort her with a kebab stick, starts off seeking a surrogate and ends up acting as one. And then there's the upstairs neighbour with the crying newborn. We get the theme: what's the thesis?

Godchild is Michael Attenborough's first freelance production since leaving as Artistic Director at The Almeida, and he ensures it's endlessly entertaining, but the two leads feel too old and are unappealing. As Lou, Tracy-Ann Oberman is overblown and shouty. Michael Shaeffer as Andy is coldly righteous and shouty. The real revelation is Chook Sibtain who, as Karl, demonstrates how to be simultaneously dangerous, pathetic, and wonderful.

In conclusion: Opposing tensions lie at the heart of this review. Godchild provides a highly entertaining couple of hours, but lacks any substance. The dialogue is funny and clever and the action isn't.  It's caring and kind, but lacks warmth. Newcomer, Pearl Chanda, makes an impressive, expressive, debut as Minnie.

References
Hampstead Theatre, Tickets

Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3EU
.    Run ends 30 November.