What’s it all about?
This two-hander by Clara Brennan charts the story of a 30-year marriage between a war journalist and a dancer as they reminisce about the good times, the bad times and – thanks to the unfortunate fate of a Jane Eyre second edition – the downright ugly times.
The snake of the title bears little relation to the content of the piece, in the sense that there isn’t a limbless reptile in sight. The play instead takes on the woman’s nickname, Boa, which in turn refers to the dichotomy of her embrace, at times feeling like a light and airy feather boa around her husband’s neck but, at others, like a constricting serpent squeezing the life out of him.
Who’s in it?
A genius casting decision has led to real-life husband and wife Harriet Walter and Guy Paul taking on the couple at the heart of the play. In their first ever London stage outing together, the pair convince as two halves of a long and loving union that has overcome distance and dispute to exist three decades on.
Olivier Award winner Walter leaves behind the authoritarian figure of Henry IV that she portrayed at the Donmar Warehouse last year for a character brimming with vivacity but burdened by vulnerability as she struggles with the lengthy absences created by her husband’s work. American actor Paul as the danger-chasing Louis is the rock in Boa’s stormy sea of career-threatening obstacles and endless drinking, exuding comfort and patience in the face of his unpredictable partner.
What should I look out for?
The subtle shifts in sound and light that convey the shifts between present day and the interspersing moments throughout Boa and Louis’ volatile and loving relationship.
In a nutshell?
Real-life couple Harriet Walter and Guy Paul lend a compelling and believable tenderness to the couple at the heart of Clara Brennan’s poignant two-hander.
Will I like it?
Boa has its laugh-out-loud moments, but with them come equal amounts of heartbreak. A trip to the Trafalgar Studio 2 over the next month may well leave you with a deep feeling of melancholia – you can mainly thank the twist at the end for that – but to witness the chemistry between Walter’s Boa and Paul’s Louis it’s entirely worth it.
Boa is playing at the Trafalgar Studio 2 until 7 March. You can book tickets through the venue’s website.