90 Enchanting Minutes which spin a Documentorial Tale

Set in Utah USA and the valleys of Canada, Gracie – a mother fixated intelligent child, embraces the life of a girl growing up in the shadow of human trafficking, and a religious cult where men can have multiple wives (plural marriages under the LDS Church – Latter Day Saints). Those who continued the practice after a decision to ban it, were excommunicated, hence a move for the family to Canada under strict instructions to inform anyone who asked Gracie or her siblings that they were born there, not the USA.

Written by Joan MacLeod who grew up in North Vancouver, this play reflects Joan’s tenacity and talent – as do her previous accolades for written work. She studied creative writing at University of Victoria and British Columbia and has won awards for her creations, including The coveted Governor General’s Award. But Gracie would not have been so compelling in my opinion without the skills of actor Carla Langley. This one-woman show of 90 minutes with no interval must be a challenge of memory, wit, agility and acting prowess for any thespian. Langley has performed at venues including London’s Royal Court, The Globe and The Gielgud and she has won awards for her work which also took her to New York and Wales. She is a relatively diminutive and agile slip of a figure, well cast for the role and her dulcet USA tones are convincing and enticing, reminiscent of the innocence of children in The Waltons. She has large expressive deep blue eyes and a china doll appearance which is well suited to the role of a child recanting her life experiences which include riding her first bike and receiving her first kiss, but most touching is her love of her mother who is part of a cult and married to a man with multiple wives, with Gracie’s actual father not in the picture. Almost inevitably as Gracie’s mother continues to have more children, Gracie and Billy end up leaving the area and her mother behind heading for a new life elsewhere.

Gracie is directed by Gemma Aked-Priestley who has been awarded bursaries from Mayflower Theatre, Yorkshire Ladies Council of Education, Barker Mill Foundation and the JMK Trust. Gemma has directed a large number of productions including Edinburgh Festival plays and those at small but highly esteemed venues such as The Hen and Chickens and has worked as a casting director on the National Theatre’s revival of War Horse.

There is a collection of voluntary donations after the production for Refuge – for women and children against domestic violence. Try not to miss out on this wonderful portrayal of real life events in a growing person’s experiences.

Playing at The Finborough Theatre for nine Sunday and Monday Evenings and Tuesday Matinees from Sunday April 29. www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk Nearest tube Earls Court.

Review of Gracie written by Joan MacLeod. Finborough Theatre – European Premiere. Review by Penny Nair Price.