No Place Like Home (24:7 Theatre Festival)

In a safe house for survivors of domestic abuse, five women are piecing their lives together again with varying degrees of success.

Milk and 2 Sugars Theatre Company’s No Place Like Home is a strong ensemble piece performed with honesty and emotion. Rebekah Harrison’s script is sensitive and funny, never losing sight of the power of the situation; tight direction by Janys Chambers moves confidently between the different women’s stories.

From fun-loving Amy (Christabel Brown) and her eagerness to belong to a family, to Sue (Clare Barron) seeing life from the other side of social care, the detail of each woman’s situation is hard-hitting and moving, as they try to move on without ever really being able to escape their pasts.

The one aspect which jarred was the acrobatic movements of Donna’s son Liam (Trystan Chambers). Though confidently and impressively performed, the sequences broke up the action a little too much. That said, it was an unusual way to focus on the children rather than the adults – and the power of Liam’s anger and frustration was well communicated.

There’s possibly a bit too much content for a one hour play, at times it feels a little too compartmentalised and neat. But the dynamic changes with the arrival of Donna (Jessica Higgins)’s husband Carl (Mike Friend). His sinister, manipulative performance brings the play towards a shocking conclusion.

No Place Like Home is at New Century House as part of 24:7 Theatre Festival Monday 25 July 12.30pm, Tuesday 26 July 7.30pm, Thursday 28 July 9pm.