Ursula (Kelly Gough) and Connie (Jo Herbert) in Run Sister Run [Marc Brenner]

RUN SISTER RUN
Arcola Theatre
☆☆☆☆

AT first, Chloë Moss’s Run Sister Run appears to be about a dysfunctional family. Connie (Jo Herbert) is in a strained marriage with her bullish husband Adrian (Theo Fraser Steele). They respond very differently to their 19-year-old son Jack’s (Charlie Beaven) announcement that his ex-girlfriend is pregnant.

But with the introduction of Connie’s sister, Ursula (Kelly Gough), we realise this is a bittersweet exploration of sisterhood.

In Marlie Haco’s fast-paced production, the actors remain on stage throughout – sitting or standing, sometimes watching the action. In the opening scenes, they seem slightly self-conscious in the Arcola’s intimate space, where emotions unfold at close range and flower petals scatter like detritus.

Told in reverse chronology, the play traces the sisters’ diverging paths, revisiting key scenes across four decades. As children, both were in care. Ursula’s adolescence was turbulent, while Connie’s initially found some stability in her relationship with Adrian.

Gough, with the widest emotional arc, gives a committed and credible performance. Connie’s trajectory is more subtle; her shifting accent reflects her changing circumstances, and we watch her responsible older-sister role harden into something increasingly brittle.

Gradually, we learn of Ursula’s sacrifice, the mutual psychological damage and the fierce love that once bound them.

It’s compelling viewing.

Until July 26
arcolatheatre.com/