A Number by Caryl Churchill - a new 4Play production at The Courtyard (From Hereford Times)

A Number by Caryl Churchill - a new 4Play production at The Courtyard

12:33pm Friday 22nd January 2010 in

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ARE we the product of our environment or is our fate genetically determined? The nature versus nurture debate is ongoing and in Caryl Churchill’s powerful one-act play, A Number, the current 4Play production at The Courtyard, it is explored through the always-controversial issue of cloning.

Salter failed at fatherhood the first time round, unable to cope with a young child after the suicide of his wife, ultimately surrendering his son to a life in care. But what if he starts again with the same genetic material and changes himself, can he also change the outcome?

The revelation that he is a clone, and that there are an unspecified number of other ‘things’ out there, proves devastating to B2, though his father appears less concerned with the fundamental questions of identity and sense of self that torture his son than he is with finding someone to sue for exceeding their brief.

This is thought-provoking drama at its best, and in the hands of Alex Evans and Andrew Hewitt, the questions came thick and fast - about nature versus nurture, about the father-son relationship and about what will happen next as past and present clash.

The cloning question, right or wrong, is used less as a starting point for a scientific debate, more as a dramatic device through which to explore fundamental truths about human development, and one is left with the feeling of having seen far more than was shown on the stage.

Alex Evans’s portrayals of B1, B2 and Michael Black, a third clone, were remarkable, each so well played and so sharply defined that there were moments when it was tempting to believe there really were three of him, not just one. The role of Salter required fewer dramatic fireworks, but Andrew Hewitt gave him a credible air of self-righteousness, self-pity and obstinacy.

The music, composed by Matt Rosser specially for this production, pulled off the difficult trick of being in perfect harmony with the unfolding drama, never intrusive yet cleverly insinuating its way into an integral role in the piece.

A Number can be seen at The Courtyard tonight and tomorrow, January 22 and 23. To book, call the box office on 01432 340555.