As "Bones" ( see previous review) started twenty minutes late at Zoo I rushed round to Pleasance Forth to see another one word title play. With barely enough time to get my breath bakc, let alone clear my head I wasn't really in the mood to see another harrowing drama.
But the minute "Rose" started I was hooked. It helped to have such an experienced and talented actor as Art Malik to watch ,though it was somewhat disconcerting to see him with a bushy-greying beard, lying in a hospital bed following a stroke.
This is the story of Arthur, an immigrant Muslim struggling to bring up his daughter (Rose) alone as his wife had died in childbirth. To make a better life for them both Arthur made himself more British then the British but drove his daughter away and into a more religious way of life. Scenes alternate between the present day and key moments in Rose's childhood.
His illness is an opportunity for them to repair their broken bridges and ironically, despite his inability to speak clearly, they communicate now better than ever.
This is a beautifully written piece, totally believable and involving with an emotional and surprising ending but it is the quality of the acting that makes it real. You would expect a strong performance from Art Malik but for me the star of the night was his real-life daughter, Keira, who displayed impressive stage-craft in her theatrical professional debut. It would be hard enough anyway but facing your famous father must be doubly daunting.
As well as thoroughly enjoying the play it was also nice to discover that I was amongst the youngest and more agile of the audience. A rarity nowadays.
Forget a cross-dressing Simon Callow go and see the Maliks.
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