THEATRE REVIEW: The Distance, at Sheffield Studio

The Distance, Sheffield Studio until November 14.

reviewed by Phil Turner

SHOULD a woman ever leave her children?

That’s the age-old question at the centre of Deborah Bruce's rapid-fire, sharply-written and funny play about motherhood.

The 40-year-old Bea has jumped on a plane and apparently abandoned her family in Australia.

She meets up with a group of old friends in Brighton who though attempting to help only serve to force her to withdraw even further.

Control freak Kate insists that she and Bea fly straight back to Melbourne to claim custody of the two children.

Meanwhile single mum Alex, who we hear has three children by different partners, is worried that her own teenage son Liam (a terrific professional debut from young black actor Joshua Sinclair-Evans)) might be caught up in the London riots of 2011 which are at their height that weekend.

But gradually we find out that Bea is relieved to be rid of her family and confesses that husband Simon (Timothy Knightly) does the whole parenting thing far better than she could ever want or care enough to.

But she can’t shake off the guilt she feels and there’s an anguished scene as she tries to explain.

Even when she links up with them via Skype she doesn’t want to make contact.

By setting the riots - the real world - in the background Bruce holds a satirical mirror up to these predominantly middle class lives which happen in a bubble away from what is really going on.

And here the character of Liam goes against stereotype and he is tucked up in bed as black Britain is exploding in anger.

Interestingly, Vinnie (a powerful and likeable Steven Meo), who is from what we understand the only one apart from 15-year-old Liam who has no children, is the lone voice of reason in arguing for people to be able to live their lives free of other people's prejudices and interference.

Bruce is very good at exploring the mixed emotions and the strains of friendships and relationships in a production immaculately directed by Charlotte Gwinner who is well served by Signe Beckman's simple set design.

Michelle Duncan displays a child-like lack of awareness as the pressure mounts on her to conform, while Charlotte Lucas manages to believeably switch from domineering to understanding long-term partner Dewi (Daniel Hawksford) as insecure Kate and Charlotte Emmerson is amusingly irresponsible Alex.

The play ends where it starts, with a flashback to Bea and Simon in the hotel bedroom where they first spent the night together as the audience is left to ponder what happens to the couple in the present day.

The play is a winner by a distance.