Born in the Gardens: The Oxford Playhouse

2:22pm Wednesday 13th August 2008

'Hallo Les," says Maud to the small television screen. "How are you? Do you like my hair? You've got to keep it up, that's the only trouble with this aphrodisiac style." Maud has long been in the habit of aiming her malapropisms at those who appear on the goggle box in front of her.

There are three grown-up children. Maurice still lives at home, while his twin sister Queenie has shoved off to California. Younger son Hedley is a Labour MP. All have gathered in the family home, a mock Tudor mansion in a once-select Bristol suburb (its dreary gloom expertly evoked in John Gunter's set design). In a corner, surrounded by ostentatiously elaborate floral tributes ("Some of them are from people I thought were already dead," Maud remarks) lies Victor, father of the family, in an open-topped coffin, awaiting departure to the crematorium. Interestingly - I timed it - it's 15 minutes before any of the children acknowledges their father's presence in the room, and a full 40 minutes before Queenie goes to look: "Have you put lipstick on him?" she snaps at her mother.

Peter Nichols's Born into the Gardens was first produced in 1979, and it has dated remarkably little. Nichols himself comes from Bristol, and he has lovingly incorporated lots of local detail and observation. The play is labelled a comedy, but darker undertones emerge as the children start rowing with each other after the funeral. Twins Maurice and Queenie are seen kissing each other on the lips, and their body language is distinctly incestuous. It is also strongly hinted that father Victor hasn't always entered his daughter's bedroom with the best of intentions. Above all, he drank big time, a habit that has plainly been continued by his wife and children. Hedley, meanwhile, sees development potential in the family home, and wastes no time in trying to bully Maud into moving out.

All this, and plenty of dry humour, is built into Nichols's expertly crafted script. In this Theatre Royal, Bath, production (director, Stephen Unwin), he is well served by the cast, which is led by Stephanie Cole (of Tenko, Waiting for God, and Doc Martin fame). She presents a splendidly unpredictable Maud, muddle-headed one minute, and sharp as a needle the next. As stay-at-home Maurice, Allan Corduner is warm and sympathetic, while Miranda Foster keeps you guessing about Queenie's real motives. Simon Shepherd, for long a mainstay of Peak Practice, seems slightly on edge as MP Hedley, but this may be quite deliberate in a character who is both nauseatingly smarmy, and explosively bad tempered.

Born in the Gardens continues at the Oxford Playhouse tonight and tomorrow. For tickets telephone 01865 305305 (www.oxfordplayhouse.com).

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