Regular Singing is the fourth instalment of The Apple Family Plays written by Richard Nelson for The Public Theater New York.

Revisiting the same cast of characters around the dinner table, this time on the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination, Regular Singing explores death as a solidifier of communities, a time to celebrate emotion and sentiment, and our legacy - how we are remembered.

Upstairs, Marian Apple’s ex-husband lays dying of cancer; downstairs his funeral plans are discussed alongside thoughts about death from school children, reflections on the assassination and the diary of an actor.

Empty chairs and absent characters create onstage ghosts. The food brought by friends of the dying is eaten and brings the Apple family together once more.

Each moment in Regular Singing is beautifully balanced and delivered perfectly by the brilliant cast.

The piece ran to nearly two hours without a break and all six actors worked tirelessly to ensure that every expression and reaction was infused with energy and truthfulness.

They inhabited their roles and the space so fully that the intricate script was transcended, they almost seemed one step ahead of their lines, creating a crafted slice of reality.

FIVE STARS