Dash Arts' latest piece, Our Public House, is a community-inspired production that finds warmth and urgency in the local pub, even if its theatrical elements don't always cohere. The English pub serves as the perfect crucible for this work, created and directed by Josephine Burton, which draws from community workshops attended by over 700 people across the country.
A Storm Brewing at the Albion Pub
A storm is blowing into the town where the Albion pub sits, both meteorological and political. Inside the rundown establishment, Sanjana, played by Bharti Patel in an epic performance, is a landlady who is on her last legs and ready to throw in the bar towel. Her husband has died, and her loving teacher daughter only returns occasionally these days. The pub's name, Albion, is an ancient name for Britain, and it is no coincidence that the landlady is British Asian. The rise of the far right forms the background to all political conversations in Britain today, and racial tension is one of the themes this play explores.
The Night of the Storm
We arrive at the Albion on the night of a storm that floods the roads and cuts off Labour MP candidate Mary Parker, played by Gabriela Leon, and political adviser Tom, played by Kit Esuruoso. In a recent election in this town, the largest share of votes was for spoiled ballots, and the turnout was vanishingly small. We witness the earthquake's aftershocks. Sanjana is a Prospero-like figure in the storm around Albion. She runs classes in making political speeches, and two of the town's lost souls have found refuge and their voices thanks to the regular gatherings.
Musical Elements and Community Integration
None of the songs are toe-tappers, and they are performed with only passing musicality by the cast. In the second half, local actors join the main cast on stage as a community ensemble, and two of their number make impassioned speeches about subjects that matter to them – the lack of green space and the absence of male mentors in Leeds. As a piece of theatre, it falls between two bar stools, with the community cast not quite integrated enough, yet interrupting the sense of the world that's already been created by the main cast. It makes the whole thing feel worthy, which is important, but somewhat undermines the drama of the piece.
Our Public House is at Leeds Playhouse until 23 May.
