THEATRE / Short Stay - Grace Theatre, Latchmere Pub, SW11

Caroline Donald
Wednesday 02 September 1992 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Leah Cohen's play is set in a run-down New York motel peopled by 'short stay' lovers and welfare dependants. Into this downbeat dump comes Susan (Margot Steinberg), a suburban Jewish housewife. Within five minutes of arriving, she is spilling out her heart to the welfare cases around her: how her life was so humdrum that she had to run away from husband and children without any warning or note to say where she has gone.

Leah Cohen has based much of the play on her own experiences of life after divorce from a 'Multi-National Corporate Executive'. She must have led a charmed life to meet such well-meaning people at the bottom of the American social pile. Susan is accepted immediately - not ripped off, robbed, or told to mind her own business (a far more likely scenario).

The main fault of this play is that it is difficult to sympathise with Susan. Nor can we feel her indignation when, three months and no communication later, she finds her husband (Peter Cadden) checking in for a bonk with his secretary (Colleen Passard). Even more incredible is the fact that he wants this self-centred, self-obsessed woman back.

To 12 Sept (071-228 2620)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in