Esme Allen is an old school, West End luvvy. Dominic is a slick pioneer of modern entertainment.

The ongoing dispute between the pair represents all which is good, bad and ugly about popular culture and the changing face of Britain.

It's 1979. Esme (Felicity Kendal) lives for the theatre and her daughter, Amy.

When Amy meets a new man, Dominic, a brash young film critic, her mother instantly hates him. The meeting sets in motion a series of events which reach their shocking conclusion 16 years later.

"Dominic winds people up because he stands for something, and devotes his life to something, which noone can understand. He's full of ambition and power and he represents modern life,"

says Ryan Kiggell, who plays him.

This bitter conflict is one of the play's central themes: "Theatre is no longer relevant to this generation," declares Dominic in the script as Esme seethes.

Writer David Hare has not held back in expressing his views about traditional entertainment versus modern.

"I think you can safely say David is certainly in favour of theatre. He's devoted his life to it and that comes across in the play," says Ryan.

"We also look into the social, cultural and financial life in England in the Eighties and Nineties, which will have resonance with everyone."

Family ties and relationships are delved into. Esme fears Dominic is the wrong man for her daughter but Amy, who is sweet, kind and generous, is madly in love.

As the play progresses over 16 years, the characters' lives move beyond their control and we see how their personalities develop. It's Dominic's transformation which is the most dramatic.

"He has a very complex development,"

says Ryan. "He starts off a graduate, full of ambition but also puppyish. He becomes very ruthless and allows nothing to get in his way in becoming a success. He loses his soul without realising it.

"He does manage to find some humanity toward the end of the play. He betrays Amy and has a sort of awakening and discovers he is capable of real emotion.

"Some people will have sympathy with him but most will feel it's undeserved. I think there is a need to understand him, though, and at least empathise with him."

At the core of the drama is Amy, who devotes her life to those she loves: "That is what's at the very heart of things - it's Amy's view. The others have a very cynical attitude.

"Ultimately we look at the nature of self-sacrifice, fear and ambition. There are so many strands to the play, it's impossible to watch it without thinking.

"I can't say everything is resolved but the issues are certainly well discussed.

The audience will come out asking questions and I think that's a good thing."

Amy's View was written in 1997. It has had successful runs in the West End and on Broadway, where Dame Judi Dench played Esme.

  • Starts 7.45pm plus 2.30pm, Thurs & Sat. Tickets £16-£26. Call 08700 606650.