'Alpha Beta' Finborough Theatre ****

What happens when a marriage eventually breaks down due to an awkward courtship of domestic confinement and the constant confrontations, but are still hanging on to their nuptials for the sake of their two young children? The Finborough Theatre’s production of Ted Whitehead’s 1972 play, ‘Alpha Beta’ was a gripping and hard hitting production about a marriage that should’ve terminated ages ago, furthermore, the interpretations were admirably performed.

‘Alpha Beta’ is set in the lounge of the Elliot’s home over the course of a nine year period from 1962-1971 where were are accustomed to Mrs Elliot, who is currently redecorating the house as she does not have a job. However, when her husband, Mr Elliot returns home after more than his fair share of alcoholic beverages as it’s his birthday, the tension commences immediately where he claims that he is frustrated by his life and that he really does not love his wife at all.  Also, he says that he wants to leave her and confirms that he has been having illicit affairs with other women, but Mrs Elliot already knows of her husband’s debauched actions. She makes it clear that she will make her husband’s life a living nightmare and declares that she will inform the woman’s family about the affair and what it has done to their family. Throughout the performance, it is visible that the Elliot’s matrimonial have never been that amorous and that their coupling was somewhat forced upon and their relationship was not formed in the passionate way in the “normal” way.  Progressively, a few years later the strain of the marriage remains ever existing and the house is losing its upkeep. Mr Elliot repeatedly humiliates his wife of her terrible housekeeping and the fake situations they have to maintain i.e. their children’s school sports day and birthdays, and once again Mr Elliot demands that he and his wife must separate for the sake of their children.  The relentless fights and quarrels come to a head when the Elliot’s, who are now living separate lives and homes and how Mrs Elliot decides to take drastic measures so that her soon to be ex-spouse suffers as she conjures up a mix of drink in which it will enable herself and her two children to die. But when he enters his former residence he finds her manufacturing this substance he still makes it obvious that he does not love her any more, oppositely, there are tender moments present when Mr Elliot fixes his son’s bike and the loving expressions the two give each other. At the finale, Mr Elliot leaves and Mrs Elliot clears up the mess that has been left all over the place. Whitehead’s narrative is vastly harrowing as we are seeing the lack of compassion in the Elliot’s marriage in the space of nine years and how the recurrent arguments could affect their children’s development into adults and that Mr and Mrs Elliot need to be happy in their life and divorce is needed.

One found the performances by the company of, ‘Alpha Beta’ to be cordially and ardently depicted through strong and convincing movements and well articulating voice pace and pauses. Tracy Ifeachor is positively distressing as troubled wife, Mrs Elliot; in particular the moments where she is desperate to keep her husband from leaving her as she must still love him and that she wants the feeling to be reciprocated, but it does not happen. Christian Roe is brilliantly brash as the volitle, Mr Elliot; predominantly where he opens up to his wife about his alcoholism to the point where he breaks down in tears and how he feels trapped in a marriage that he does not want to be in anymore.

Purni Morrell’s direction is hair-raising in a good way here as she has staged an emotive and disturbing representation of the Elliot’s self-made confinement of a marriage where in a time frame of nine years has caused them to resent each other wholeheartedly, which to the audience is heartrending. Plus the characterisations were really accurate in conveying a coupling who despises each other. Verity Quinn’s design is surprisingly dazzling as the tight and limited Finborough space has been pleasantly transformed into the Elliot’s open place living area where we are given free rein to sit anywhere to be immersed into the edgy atmosphere. Overall, I though the experience of, ‘Alpha Beta’ to be a confidently wretched enactment of an awful marriage and the inevitable end of it.