REVIEW by Melissa Jones

THIS year Hexagon Theatre Company celebrate 30 years of presenting thought-provoking, exciting theatre to Stroud audiences. It seemed particularly apposite that their production of Stella Feehily’s 2014 play, This May Hurt a Bit, was not only its very first amateur performance but also a hot political topic – the NHS. This agit-prop play is injected with anarchic humour yet asks the audience to consider the very real dilemma of a family whose elderly relative is caught in the apparent melt-down of NHS care.

Martin Stockwell’s incisive production was played at a cracking pace and the fifteen actors, many playing several roles, told the story with absolute clarity. Multiple locations were skilfully created with back projection and an inventively fluid use of stage blocks enabled sharp changes of scene. Costumes and props had significance and importance to the narrative: every detail was exact, aiding the audience’s ability to identify mood, location and character swiftly.

At the heart of the play is the elderly Iris who suffers "transient global amnesia": a staunch NHS supporter, her experience exemplifies the chaos of a typical NHS hospital. Alex Jones played her with wry humour, fierce determination and fine comic timing. Andrew Miller, as her widowed son, engaged our sympathy whilst also capturing the humour of the situation and as her snooty daughter, Mary Bennett conveyed the arguments for private care.

The ensemble playing was terrific throughout and there were many subtle performances from actors playing very different roles. An outstanding diversity of characters was presented by Betsy Friend from a cynical matter-of-fact Policewoman to a self-assured Public Health researcher and a beautifully nuanced portrayal of Gina, the beleaguered yet caring NHS nurse at the forefront of the crisis. In this role Betsy captured both Gina’s dark humour and her compassionate care. Jonathan Vickers’ superb timing and skilful characterisation created three excellent roles: a smug civil servant, an American surgeon with no time for the NHS and the very amusing Archie, an archetypal hospital porter. There were also first-rate performances from Tim Presland as a stroke victim and Carolyn Spice as a dementia patient. Both Dave Kilminster, as Winston Churchill, and Simon Ives, as Aneurin Bevan, convincingly mastered the physicality and the vocal quality of these eminent figures.

On the night I saw this production it was sold out. With work of this calibre Hexagon enters its 31st year with much to celebrate and Stroud audiences will continue to enjoy stimulating evenings in the theatre.

Melissa Jones