Doubting Thomas is a thought-provoking and enjoyable new play which asks some important and highly topical questions about our ageing society.
A well-to-do family faces an unthinkable challenge when a dementia victim stands trial in absentia for the killing of his carer. What is the point of trying someone who is incapable of giving a coherent account of the killing of which he is accused? Is it possible to turn back from a cliff edge? How do we respond to the needs of those whose quality of life is rapidly diminshing? And when can memory be trusted?
Strands of intrigue and comedy interweave in this impressive première by the Theatre Royal Windsor's new writers in residence, Catherine O'Reilly and Tim Churchill. This is not their first collaboration: previous credits include, amongst others, a jukebox musical based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
The cast is well led by the very watchable Felicity Dean as a splendidly feisty matriarch. Dean's last role was as Joan Crawford in Bette and Joan at Park Theatre. She has also enjoyed lead roles in television productions including Midsomer Murders, Casualty and Rosemary and Thyme. Louis Holland plays her antsy 18-year-old grandson to a tee. His comically pretentious mother is Claire Marlowe, who makes an impressive entry at the start of the play, complete with Gucci handbag and obligatory indoor shades.
Ben Nealon, Eva O'Hara and Gary Webster give sharply focussed performances as other members of this family in crisis, and Nikki Patel makes a good impact as the lawyer who sets out with humane clarity the legal dilemma. Direction is by Theatre Royal regular Charlotte Peters.
The first half of this well-constructed new play ends in a moment of suspenseful high drama. Satirical social comment and witty dialogue offer well-judged contrast to the tense drama, which spirals out after the interval. In one scene, two simultaneous dialogues on different parts of the stage neatly move the story on at an increasingly rapid pace. There are several unexpected twists—including a gay subplot with a memorable line about personal 'choices'—before a poignant and gripping final scene which provocatively asks, "what is life without hope?"
Doubting Thomas is a recommended new work. It is a worthy harbinger of more worthwhile new writing at the Theatre Royal Windsor.