The Homecoming, Trafalgar Studios ****

The Homecoming as a play sits uneasily with me. Despite the astute commentary of the nature of the male psyche and the changing views and roles of the sexes, it is tricky to emotionally connect to a narrative where no character (with the possible exception of Sam) is in any way sympathetic. There is also an issue of seeing prostitution as empowering and a sign of female strength which I find dated and warped. 
In spite of this, I really enjoyed Jamie Lloyd's 50th anniversary revival. The production feels like it should be at the Royal Court, with an electric and brooding feel, enhanced by Soutra Gilmour's bare bones set and Richard Howell's intense lighting design, that shocks and, whilst I have some objections to the text, it still has something to say. Lloyd makes everything these characters say gripping and painful and, with use of the Pinter pause, makes the silence as painful as the awful words being said. Keith Allen's Sam is somewhat over-camp for my liking, with his performance bordering on caricature, but the rest of this stellar cast are exceptional. Ron Cook is a domineering as Max, the control freak who can't control his own family. John Simm's magnetic Lenny is psychotic, with his amicability punctuated by violent anecdotes as John Macmillan's as with John Macmillan's simple yet menacing Joey. Gary Kemp's Teddy is perhaps the most hateful of the lot, with his passivity and acceptance in the second act demonstrating how intellect doesn't always change people's base behaviour. Gemma Chan is hypnotic and fascinating as Ruth who is just as twistedand perverse as the other characters yet appears to be more of a victim then the others. For me, this is the best production I have seen from the Jamie Lloyd residency at the Trafalgar Studios with a production of a play that challenges and provokes strong responses from anyone who watches or reads it.