Brett Brown, Eva Traynor and Jessica Carroll in Fishskin Trousers. PHOTO: DAVID GILL

FISHSKIN Trousers covers three different periods and interweaves the stories of three characters whose lives converge in the Suffolk town of Orford. They are all related in some way to the small fishing village and by certain “anomalies”.

In just 90 minutes, Elizabeth Kuti explores various subjects including the endurance of superstition as well as past and current attitudes towards autism, mental illness and depression. She also captures the stark beauty of Orford and its secluded shingle spit, now a nature reserve.

In the 12th century Mab (Jessica Carroll) recalls seeing the Wild Man of Orford caught by fishermen and imprisoned in the castle where she works. Centuries later, in 1973, Ben (Brett Brown) a brilliant Australian scientist works on the island’s radar system during the Cold War, but finds himself increasingly haunted by an intense, high-pitched sound which resembles a scream. Mog (Eva Traynor), a 30-year-old teacher, wrestles with her own demons in 2003 and faces a life-changing decision.

Effectively Kuti’s play is three overlapping monologues played out on a bare stage, except for a circle of pebbles, shells and scattered sea flotsam, emphasising the circularity of human experience and how the past and present interconnect. This pared-back staging foregrounds Kuti’s lyrical writing.

All are bittersweet, ghostly tales. Brown skilfully conveys Ben’s sense of joviality tinged by a troubled past, and Traynor’s delivery is also poignant. Carroll has the hardest task; her accent has to convey region and historical resonance – this occasionally wavers in an otherwise affecting performance.

UNTIL NOVEMBER 11
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