ONE of the director’s of Paines Plough, the company behind The Initiate, was keen to stress to The Argus earlier this year the value of “pure” theatre.

The man, George Perrin, was in attendance for Sunday’s showing of The Initiate, which demonstrated the joys of theatrical purity – the script, the actors, posture, projection.

Based on a Somali taxi driver who travels to his homeland from London to free a hostage couple, it does well to transport its audience from the ringroads of London to the dry, hostile territory of Somalia.

Shifts in scenery and roles in this three-hander are deftly dealt with courtesy of a brief musical sting and a lighting change, the sensory equivalent, perhaps, of a hypnotist snapping his fingers.

Performed on a small, circular stage, there is nowhere to hide.

A couple of slight slips in the script on Sunday were only noticeable when observing the prompt, who would glance rapidly between stage and manuscript to monitor proceedings.

Given the way the mysterious plot unfurls, it comes as something of a surprise to be met with an abrupt ending, though this gives the viewer something to chew over.

Mr Perrin was on-hand for a post-show discussion on Sunday – those who stayed behind to get involved were evidence enough of how well his work was received.

  • Starts 7pm on Thursday, May 7, Friday, May 8, Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, and also from Tuesday, May 12, to Friday, May 15. Starts 8pm on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 17. Tickets £10-£15.

THREE STARS