The Inseparables by Grace Joy Howarth based on the novel by Simone de Beauvoir translated by Laura Elkin. The Finborough Theatre, London SW10 until 2025, 2☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit:  A J Halsey & Melanie Silva.

The Inseparables by Grace Joy Howarth based on the novel by Simone de Beauvoir translated by Laura Elkin. The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 until 2025,

2☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“A sinking feeling.”

There came a moment in this play – the novel is supposed based on a real relationship or friendship Simone de Beauvoir had – when one of the two women announced “I can't take much more of this.” Had I been a paying customer I would, had I the nerve, been tempted to rise and say ”Neither can I.” And left. But that luxury was not available. The Finborough is one of the best fringe theatres with a track record second to none but why – except, of course, de Beauvoir is a scared French literary cow  – do this really not very good play? It is about the friendship between Sylvie Lapage (Ayesha Ostler) and the neurotic, violin playing, dancing and prone to nervous collapses Andree Gallard (Lara Manela) which turns out not to be the stuff of drama. Simone de Beauvoir and Elisabeth Lacoin, on whom Andree is based, did have a very close friendship although how close nobody knows although her partner Jan-Paul Sartre did apparently prevent the novel being published during her lifetime as he felt it revealed maybe too much about her private life, something she also appears to have also thought. It was not published until 2020. She died in 1986. The novel certainly matters as part of de Beauvoir's work and it does present portraits of the lives young women in the 1920s led, were forced to lead, even expected to lead, worth learning about in the light of all the changes that have taken place. But in spite of the efforts of the cast, and Ostler and Manela do have problems being the little girls, they are somehow just too old, although as teenagers they are far more effective, there is also little or no dramatic tension to sustain interest in what might happe between them and why and nothing director Anastasia Bunce has done creates it. Maybe the thing is to read the book because then at least you would be seeing the play with reference to what the dramatist has done with the material rather than coming to it cold with only the name Simone de Beauvoir to send you to see it. Alexandre Costet-Barmada plays all the male roles, including the inevitable priest who messes up a young girl's life and Sylvie's not ready to commit infuriating boy friend Pascal Blondel rather well while Caroline Trowbridge lumbered with the two mothers and a rather strict school teacher is equally impressive in creating different people. But sometimes there is nothing a cast can do landed with a play like this but just keep on acting ntil it is all over. This ship is sinking and nothing is going to stop it.

Cast

Ayesha Ostler – Sylvie Lange

Lara Manela – Andree Gallard

Caroline Trowbridge – Teacher, Madame Gallard, Madame Blondel

Alexandre Costet-Barmada – Abbe Dominique, Pascal Blondel, Handsome Man

Creatives

Director – Anastasia Bunce

Set Designer – Hazel Poole-Zane

Lighting Designer – Abraham Walkling-Lee

Sound Designer – Flick Isaac-Chilton

Video Designer – Jessica Brauner

Movement Director – Daniela Poch

Intimacy Coordinator – Justin Stirewait