WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH REVIEW

by Jo Litson

It's 2039 and the rain is relentless. Fish are virtually extinct. Then one falls from the sky, landing at a man's feet: strange, particularly since he's in Alice Springs, but manna from heaven to feed the son he hasn't seen for 20 years, now coming for lunch. So begins Andrew Bovell's latest play: a beautiful, profoundly moving drama spanning four generations of one troubled family. Set between 1959 and 2039, the epic saga moves back and forth in time, between London and Australia. As in Lantana, Bovell plays with unexpected Bovell brilliance: A scene from When The Rain Stops Falling connections between people and events. Past, present and future brush past each other on stage. A young Londoner in search of answers about his father is drawn to a girl in the Coorong whose parents committed suicide. And gradually the secrets of the family history are revealed. The production takes time to find its rhythm, but once it does it is gripping. Ideas abound about love and loss ... the need to connect honestly with those close to you and to understand your past to move forward. Chris Drummond directs deftly on a simple, elegant Hossein Valamanesh set, drawing heartrending performances from a fine cast. Bovell's compelling play will haunt you long after the rain has finally stopped falling and the house lights turned on.