How To Hold Your Breath

The Royal Court is one of my favourite theatres and Maxine Peake one of my favourite actresses, but if How To Hold Your Breath is anything to go by, I don’t somehow think I’ll ever say that about Zinnie Harris.

Her new play is billed as a darkly witty and magical thriller that delves into our recent European history.  That synopsis, coupled with the fact that the magnificent Maxine Peake takes the main role of Dana determined that it was a must see.  And to its credit the play starts well enough, with Dana embarking on a one night stand with a guy called Jarron (well played by Michael Shaeffer).  He has a problem with forming emotional attachments, offers her 45 euros for their night together and then claims he is a demon.  She is outraged and refuses to accept.  From then on in, what seems like a straightforward type of morality tale descends into what I assume is a surreal metaphor for Europe’s debt crisis, our preoccupation with money and that there is an easy solution to every difficult situation.   The problem is that the plot is weak, Zinnie Harris’s knowledge of geography isn’t great and there is very little cohesion.  It turns from realism to surrealism in a heartbeat.  What on earth is happening and why?

The basic story is that Dana and her sister, Jasmin (Christine Bottomley) embark on a work related train journey, during which Europe suddenly collapses overnight.  No mention earlier, so how did that happen?  Having spent what little money they have and with no means of getting any, as all the banks are closed, the sisters end up stranded in Hartenharten.  Perhaps Dana should have accepted the 45 euros.  A librarian who Dana met back in Berlin turns up in the same town, offering her various “How To” books (no marks for guessing what the final one is) and we eventually discover that Jasmin is pregnant.  What follows is 110 minutes of material that is deeply depressing, with no hint of the black humour promised in the synopsis.

Thank goodness for the wonderful acting abilities of Maxine Peake, who at least makes Dana a believable and sympathetic character.  She manages to portray vulnerability and femininity on the one hand and strength of character and resilience on the other.  It was worth the price of a ticket just to see her indefatigable gaze and expressive features at close quarters.

Vicky Featherstone, the new Artistic Director at The Royal Court directs How To Hold Your Breath and is a friend of Zinnie Harris.  Does friendship sometimes cloud ones judgement?  A lot of people who see the play will enjoy it and answer, no, but then that’s the delight of live theatre.  It’s all subjective;  one man’s meat and all that.

Whilst I applaud writers who put their point across in a symbolic way and ask the audience to form their own opinion as to what they’re getting at, I get very frustrated when it’s all at the expense of clarity.  I came away thinking that Zinnie Harris is just trying to be too clever by half.  But then maybe I’m just not bright enough to understand.