BBC Radio 4 Description:
Two brothers breaking and entering face an awkward dilemma when they find the wife of their intended victim dead, with a suicide note by her side.
Michael ...... Conleth Hill
Gerry ...... Nick Danan
Audrey ...... Cathy Belton
Carl ...... Mark Lambert
Director Eoin O'Callaghan.
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I first heard Belongings by Dominique Moloney in the summer of 2006. It's funny, I can remember where I was when I heard it. In an automobile in the Catskill Mountains in New York State. It was a beautiful day but the road we wanted to take was closed due to recent heavy rains and flooding. We eventually got to the scenic waterfall, our destination. There were tubs carved out of the solid rock for bathing in the whirlpools and great fun to be had.
Maybe that is why I have a particular fondness for this play. I listened to it again this week in an entirely different setting. It's really a rather silly play. So silly that at any moment it could have converted into a comedy. But for all the silliness of the twist and turns of the plot, the writing is clever the dialog utterly entertaining , and the performances convincing and engaging. I think it is the relationship of the characters that make the thing work so well for me. Dominique Moloney did an excellent job on this one. I'd like to hear more of her work. It's funny, before looking her up just now, all this time I had assumed that play was written by a man, but come to think if it, of course it wasn't.
We have the breaking-in brothers, the poisoned and seductive Audrey, and the fit to be tied, it doesn't work out so well for the husband, Carl.
The acting and direction is very good. I particularly loved Cathy Belton as Audrey, one broad not to be fooled with.
In the end, after a couple of goes, I can't fully tell you what it was all about, what happened, but that's all part of the fun of this very entertaining silly crime noir piece.
BBC Radio 4 The Afternoon Play The play is only available through Sunday Oct. 21, 2007.
