A Miracle
Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs
Set in the “flatness that consumes us” of rural Suffolk, A Miracle offers a telling portrayal of life in a small town. Molly Davies’ first full length play follows the relationship of Gary and Amy - the former on sick leave from a stint in the army, whilst Amy has been at home giving birth to an unwanted child, and now finds herself working in a chicken nugget factory. Despite the somewhat gloomy premise, the two central characters are united through their hope for a better life, even if striving for this causes destruction elsewhere.
Davies’ fierce vernacular is simultaneously witty and touching, whilst Patrick Burnier’s gritty design, complete with earth-laden floor, leaves you wondering why you’d never realized before how barn-like the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs really is. Both elements combine to create an honest and intoxicating sense of place, and underpin Davies’ examination of the hold it has over the characters that inhabit it.
But whilst the dialogue crackles along, A Miracle’s structure falters, with its short yet cumbersome scenes slowing the pace and the myriad of ideas diluting the focus. We see Gary by turns, suffering from post-traumatic stress, dabbling in drug use and hitting his girlfriend; episodes that offer no answers or consequences. As a whole, Gary’s character seems at odds with the play’s quieter themes of family and rural life. His status as a soldier is topical but not urgent, and whilst his role as an outsider in the place he comes from contrasts with Amy’s home body character, his job, and the baggage that goes with it, adds little to the play.
Lyndsey Turner’s excellent direction holds the piece together, and is buoyed by some admirable performances, not least from Kate O'Flynn’s Amy, who is complete with the undernourished look of someone who works in a nugget factory. But though the place the play creates resonates, A Miracle offers its audience little else.
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