David Hare’s play exploring this question is set in England in 1995. In a cold, dingy, cluttered flat in a dismal area of London, Kyra (Katherine Cullen) suddenly has a visitor. It’s Tom (Sean Taylor), her ex-boss, ex- confidante and ex-lover. Tom has apparently come to rattle skeletons in their mutual closet – or is he seeking closure? Has Kyra moved on, or are her denied and dormant feelings about to overwhelm her again?
This is a magnificent production of David Hare’s superbly crafted play, featuring excellent performances from a terrific cast. Powerful, eloquent and moving, Skylight looks at the various nuances of guilt and betrayal within families and other loving relationships – especially father/son relationships – and the widening gulfs that can develop between people in love.
The play also examines the class and financial issues separating Kyra and Tom.
Kyra is now a teacher, and the script gives her passionate speeches about society, education and her struggle to help underprivileged children. Tom, now a middle-aged restaurateur/entrepreneur/businessman, is wonderfully played by Sean Taylor. Very distinguished looking, he is quite formal in his bearing, but explodes volcanically at times, revealing his hurt over the death of his wife, Alice (who was also Kyra’s friend), his guilt and grief, and also his anger at the way Kyra suddenly vanished out of his life.
Tom has several very moving speeches about Alice, his guilt, and his love for Kyra, and also biting, witty speeches about banking, the finance sector and management. In Act two he also speaks about money and its uses, and the pleasure of giving.
Cullen as Kyra is all eyes and a succession of berets, and passionate about her work. Tom accuses her of being cold and unemotional. Kyra is now much poorer than when they last met, and sometimes the differences between them appear to be insurmountable – or are they? Tom accuses Kyra of being scared of love and commitment but Kyra counters by saying he deliberately sabotaged their relationship, which he claims was an accident.
The dingy, cluttered set with mouldy peeling ceiling, threadbare rug and cramped kitchen was brilliantly designed by Ailsa Paterson. The smell of pasta cooking is delicious and wafts through the audience delightfully. Mark Kilmury’s direction pilots the play with a deft touch.
The play is ‘bookended’ by the appearance of Tom’s son Edward, excellently played by the handsome Nigel Turner-Carroll. Presently, Tom and Edward are in a difficult patch with their own relationship, and Kyra tries to encourage Edward and get Tom to be more understanding. Edward demands to know why Kyra suddenly disappeared from his life. Is he in fact a possible stand-in for his father?
Intimate, searing, brilliantly written and performed, this is an examination of the fragile pain of love and broken relationships; a study of two people who love each other but can’t connect.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Skylight
By David Hare
Director: Mark Kilmurry
Assistant Director: Brian Meegan
Designer: Ailsa Paterson
Lighting Designer: Ross Graham
Wardrobe Coordinator: Terri Kibbler
Dialect Coach: Natasha McNamara
Stage Manager: Danielle Morrison
Cast: Katharine Cullen, Sean Taylor and Nigel Turner-Carol
Running time: 2 ½ hours (including one interval)
Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli
June 21 – July 28
