CityLife

Roots @ Royal Exchange

IMAGINE it is the late '50s - and you have been brave enough to leave your home in small-town Norfolk and head for the bright lights of London.

After post war austerity you are have met an exciting man called Ronnie who fills your head with the new Jerusalem that Socialism offers and introduces you to culture. You have become a thoroughly modern woman.

And then your return home. Nothing has changed. People's heads are still fixed firmly in the sand.

But you are desperately looking forward to Ronnie's arrival at your family home in two weeks' time. So are the family but things don't turn out as expected.

This is the theme of Arnold Wesker's kitchen sink drama, Roots, the second in his Norfolk trilogy and based on people he met at that time.

The above scenario happens to principal character Beatie Bryant who is played with verve by Claire Brown, making her third appearance at the Royal Exchange.

Beatie's family, and, in particular, her mother, a no-nonsense farm labourer's wife are, to say the least, cool in their acceptance of her fancy new ideas.

But in a remarkably good performance, Claire delivers them brilliantly and with such energy.

Whilst she is awaiting Ronnie's arrival, Beatie decides to bath. In a completely natural way Claire strips off in front of the audience, relaxes in the tub and chats.

Afterwards, recycling is taken to its ultimate level when mother and daughter chuck the old water in the sink to wash the dishes! This is just one of many funny moments in this well-written play.

Frustration

You can feel Beatie's frustration as she tries to pass on Ronnie's ideas to her dumb, insular family. In the final scene her frustration turns to such anger that she actually strikes her mother - and it is then that she realises she is no longer plugging Ronnie's views but her own.

She is thrilled that she has finally learnt to think for herself and that lightens the sad ending.

Her long suffering mother, Mrs Bryant is played by none other than Denise Black who returned to 'The Street' last year after an absence of 11 years to re kindle her friendship with Ken Barlow, the father of her child.

It was nice to see a TV performer tackling a stage role so well.

Her portrayal of a woman who has never seen the world beyond her own home town and her attitude to her daughter who has, is spot on, and captures the essence of the situation.

I like the way she dries the dishes on her pinny. The scene where her daughter tries to convert her to classical music, is a scream.

Beatie's attitude to other characters such as her brother-in-law, Jimmy (Owen Oakeshott) with whom she argues about the rights of labour and her father (David Beames) who will never change his mean ways, add richness to the production and underline the question of whether it is possible to alter our roots.

The same question applies to Beatie.

On the surface she is a sophisticated young woman but, at heart, she can never really obliterate her country girl upbringing.

Roots is at the Royal Exchange Theatre until Saturday, March 1. Tickets, priced £8.50 - £28, from the Box Office at 0161 833 9833 or www.royalexchange.co.uk/bookonline .