I was invited to review Two Come Home and initially declined due to being away when it opened. But the press release kept coming back to me. This is what it said:
It’s winter in an isolated rural town where ex-prisoner and recovered addict Evan leads a solemn and solitary existence, until some old ghosts return to unbury a decade’s worth of pain. Joe Eason’s new play with music sets an unflinching gaze on cycles of poverty, addiction, and homophobia in rural communities.
With this synopsis stuck in my head, I arranged to see the show at the end of the run.
The play has so many layers to it, and five characters who are all critical to the story, along with musicians who are an integral part of the show. The focus is the relationships between all of the characters, but the complex backstory of each character added so much depth to each situation.
From multi-generational family dysfunction and trauma, to criminal activities that led to custodial sentences, addiction, the search for meaning in a lonely world, to pure survival, the blend created such a level of raw emotion before you even delve further into the focal story.
The title Two Come Home is fitting, as when the play began we were at the cusp of things changing in this southern town, as Caleb (Evan’s dad) was released from prison and Jim (Evan’s former best friend) returned for a funeral. But first we met Evan’s mum, Amy (Krista Larsen) who was almost dragged into his house by a police officer. Amy is the kind of mess you really wouldn’t want turning up on your doorstep; she’s a homeless addict, lacking as a mother, who doesn’t hide the fact that she regrets having Evan young and doesn’t care who hears about it. But Evan doesn’t turn her away. This is the first glimpse into Evan's personality. Krista Larsen plays this character very effectively; at one point her performance reminded me of a young Jodie Foster.
Despite all of Amy’s failings it became apparent as time went on why she is like this… her misguided love for Evan’s dad Caleb (Michael Claff). When Caleb appeared on the stage he was instantly utterly terrifying; the threat he posed to each of the other characters was very apparent and whilst it became obvious he learnt how to be the type of person he is from his parents, he made the decision not to swim against the tide and instead became the violent, homophobic, menacing person he is now. What Caleb was capable of was shown more through discussion by the other characters of his past misdemeanours but watching him and how his expressions changed, and anticipation of what he might do next were almost more effective than seeing any physical violence. Or, I should say, more than we did see. Michael Claff managed to ensure the level of threat and unpredictability from Caleb remained high throughout his time on stage, and it was impossible to take your eyes away from him.
Evan (Joe Eason, who also wrote the play and composed the music) has somehow managed to turn his life around after a brief spell in prison for car theft. Despite his parents’ complete lack of guidance or affection he works hard and is mostly keeping himself out of trouble. Evan instantly evokes empathy due to the fact his parents are so shockingly awful and yet, somehow he is managing to have a somewhat successful life.
When Jim (Ryan Williams) appears and the two old friends discuss how their lives have changed since they last saw each other it gradually becomes apparent they were more than friends, the realisation that they have both spent the time since longing for what might have been was heart wrenching. The performance by Ryan Williams as he was talking about this took my breath away. The underlying regret and sorrow, but also his reveal of what happened before he went away was intense. From what I overheard during the interval, I was not the only person in the audience who was unable to fight back tears.
The song Lying in the Snow kept the emotional intensity high, especially when Evan was shown to be choked up as he sang. That was just one of many points in this play that I won’t ever forget. With Elizabeth Clone Hopland on cello and Emily Moment providing guitar and beautiful vocals, the music throughout was woven into the play, not just as a background soundtrack but, at times, part of the show itself.
I mentioned earlier the police officer, Ashley (Hannelore Canessa-Wright). Having known Evan since school, she has a conflict of interest in maintaining the law and protecting her friends. This character is on stage a lot less than the other four, but essential not least for lightening the mood at times and giving the audience some brief light relief from the emotional rollercoaster the play is.
The lighting (Samuel Button-Bell) was very effective throughout the show. Director Isobel Sheard ensures that the emotional tension never leaves you for a second as you’re watching events unfold. Speaking of tension I have to also mention the Intimacy Director Marina Cusi Sanchez. Everything that happened on stage between Evan and Jim feel authentic and real.
Joe Eason definitely needs a final mention not only for his portrayal of Evan, but for writing the play and music, and for the amount of work that has been put in to developing this show into what it has become.
I put some distance between myself and the other departing audience members as I didn’t want to break the spell I’d been under while I’d been watching the show by hearing any other discussions. Instead, I listened to the soundtrack as I walked back to Paddington, and haven’t stopped thinking about the play since.
Two Come Home is an exquisitely crafted piece. It’s raw, gritty, in some moments horrifying and at times quite beautiful. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for it, and I would love to see it again.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The run of Two Come Home at The Cockpit has now finished, but you can listen to the music performed by this cast on the usual streaming platforms.
If you would like to see my curtain call photographs from this and other shows, please visit my Instagram.
I was gifted a ticket for this show in exchange for an honest review.
