The Heretic theatre review

The Heretic is a play of two halves.  Act I introduces the viewer to the title character, a controversial scientist, in her natural habitat; her office within the walls of a highly respected university.  Here, she is confident and assertive and in control...until she's not.  Act II shows her at home, where she is less in control, and the play shifts focus to the private lives of her and her daughter.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first act, mostly for the expert comic timing of Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Stelios Yiakmis.  I laughed a lot.  The second act, though, shifted ground too much to carry on what the first act established.

At interval I asked myself what might happen next.  I found it impossible to know.  I found no unresolved questions from the first half that I cared to have answered.  The private lives of the characters were simply not interesting enough to keep my interest, and the professional issues that had arisen had found a resolve of sorts.  And so, in Act II the sub-plot about her daughter takes the focus.  Act II is funny and fast-paced and watchable, but it lacks the originality that made Act I so interesting.

What I enjoyed about Act I is that the subject matter was topical, thought-provoking and shown in a new light.  About time there was a comedy about climate change.  The dialogue is funny, and the tone is set for a comedy of words and ideas, suitable for the academic setting.  When the setting changes, so too does the tone, and it felt like quite a different play.

See this play if you need a happy ending.  Leave at half time if you don't.