The Ensemble Theatre Company new play is a play from London, playwright Simon Mendes Da Costa’s ‘Losing Louis’. Da Costa’s fine play has had a successful run on the West End, and is due to open in Broadway in October.

‘Losing Louis’ has one of the best play openings I’ve seen in a long time. We see Jewish solicitor Louis having it off with Bella in his marital bed. There are just a few problems with this! Bobbie not Bella is his wife. The other problem is also no small problem…In the midst of Louis and Bella’s lovemaking; the couple sees a toy car come out from under the double bed. Shortly after, Louis’s six year old son Tony comes out. Tony then cowers under the abuse he receives from his father, whilst Dad zips up his fly.

The action then seamlessly shifts to some fifty years later as Tony, now a grumpy 56 year old man, comes on stage with a whisky glass in his hand, and is in the midst of preparing the eulogy speech for his father’s funeral. Tony has come back to the flat with his wife, Sheila, to meet up with his mother, Bobbie and they are soon joined by his brother, Reggie and his wife, Elizabeth.

Da Costa packs a lot of material into ‘Losing Louis’, giving the cast plenty to play with. We have Tony’s traumatic episode which he has kept to himself, and the ramifications when the secret comes out. There are all the emotions that come into play when a fraught family reunion takes place, The playwright comes up with colourful characters who are well contrasted; Sheila’s tactless and tarty nature as compared to Elizabeth’s refinement and sophistication, Tony’s survivor mentality compared to Reggie’s Ferrari lifestyle. Da Costa throws in plenty of sharp jokes and anecdotes that fuel the play. He also makes some comedy out of the way so much goes wrong with the funeral.

Andrew Doyle’s production did not serve the play that well. Doyle’s direction, of at times quite subtle and complex material, could have been clearer. Nicholas Dare designed a compact, effective set with all the action taking place in Louis’s old bedroom. Mark Pennington did an effective, conventional lighting plot.

There were mixed performances from the cast, best were Christopher Tomkinson as Louis, and Andrew McFarlane as Reggie. I found Amanda Muggleton’s turn as Sheila was too over the top, whilst Linden Wilkinson’s performance as Elizabeth lacked some spark.

Hopefully, some other theatre companies will take on ‘Losing Louis’, which given the right treatment, could be a real cracker.