Shelagh Stephenson's play Five Kinds of Silence is nobody's idea of cosy, comfortable viewing. Yet it is a sharply written, challenging, dramatic play that has proved immensely popular across the country because of the incredibly demanding dramatic set pieces it offers to its cast. This riveting production, directed by Pamela Whalley, provides a perfect platform for Caxton Players to hone their skills and to really demonstrate the depth of their abilities as actors. It deals with a tough subject, domestic and sexual abuse and nobody should attend expecting a jolly night of theatre. You have been warned.
However, you will marvel at the intensity of the performances on display with a show-stealing performance by Dean Wright as Billy, a husband and father who himself was abused as a child and continues the circle of abuse with his own family, until they take matters into their own hands and exact their vengeance upon him, as his two daughters shoot him dead in his bed - a dramatic opening scene to the play, so I am giving nothing away by sharing that fact.
Whalley creates a world that is both claustrophobic and uncomfortable. The air of menace pervades this intimate bar production as the story unfolds and the three surviving women from Billy's life unveil their stories through a series of dramatic monologues and flashbacks. They endure interrogation, remand, and both legal and psychological evaluation. Even as the motivation for the murder is revealed, the women are haunted by the ghost of Billy as he twists and manipulates the evidence through prior coercive control that left deep scars mentally on each of his victims.
The simple set is incredibly effective working on the basis of less is more - and a few chairs, a dining table, and a"bed" provide sufficient staging to achieve a varied dramatic picture that shifts throughout the play with levels being used effectively. The repetitive refrains from a menacing version of Simon and Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence proves an effective and appropriate soundtrack for the play. Whalley also uses entrances and exits efficiently throughout the play, optimising the space and movement on stage.
This is the story of Billy, as mentioned above. He is the principal antagonist within the piece. We learn of the hideous level of domestic abuse he suffered at the hands of his own father and mother as a child, leading to deep-seated insecurities in his adult life which soon convert to the abuse of his wife, Mary, and subsequently his two daughters now aged 24 and 29, Susan and Janet. We follow their journey as the criminal justice system seeks to deal sympathetically with each of Billy's familial victims. As Billy, Dean Wright gives possibly his strongest ever performance. He is a man haunted by demons, who has allowed them to own him and to direct him. The power of Wright's performance cannot be understated. The agony he has endured and the conflict within his soul are always reflected in Wright's eyes and the audience may well feel a degree of sympathy for this predatory abuser whilst loathing the path he has chosen to take. That is all credit to Wright's portrayal of Billy.
Billy's wife is Mary. Another who has a heartbreaking back story involving domestic abuse, following the death of her mother whilst she was young and the demanding, overbearing presence of her own father. Initially, Billy represented order, stability, love and an escape from her old life but - as is often the case - Mary soon learns that she has jumped from the frying pan into the fire. The stronger elements of her personality are beaten down by Billy until Mary becomes a husk of her former self. The personality of a mousey, subservient, compliant, victim begins to define Mary as she is forced to sit back knowing that Billy is sexually abusing their daughters. As Mary, Jane Webster delivers a character so wounded and downtrodden with fear, regret and bitterness. She plays Mary's anguish over why, as a mother, she did nothing to stop or report Billy's abuse, well. Twisted with guilt and wringing her hands, we understand through Webster's portrayal why Mary was unable to speak up or to stop her husband. It was sheer fear, rather than a personality defect and it is a fear that remains despite the death of Billy. She finds it almost impossible to open up and Webster's closeted characterisation lends itself to that element of the story.
As Billy's younger daughter, Janet, Jade Priestley presents a worried and confused individual living in fear, having grown up knowing nothing different to compare her experience to. A degree of Stockholm Syndrome seems to exist within the daughters and Priestley sensitively portrays the strife and angst her character has to endure. The levity she shows when confessing to the police inspector is replaced by self-doubt as the gravity of her situation begins to become real and she too cannot shake off the abusive influence of Billy on her mental health. Priestley gives great insecurity to the character of Janet and her performance of Janet's monologues are really quite haunting.
Susan, Billy's eldest daughter is portrayed by Alison Stretton. It is a difficult role to navigate requiring a series of conflicted twists and turns as she is the first to reveal the sexual, as well as the physical abuse dished out by Billy (although we are informed Janet had done so first) As Wright's Billy spits bile and makes threats from beyond the grave, Susan conjures up the strength to allow the real story of abuse to come to the fore. This is so challenging for Stretton to play convincingly, but she does an excellent job of it. Once again we see reflected in Stretton's eyes, the anguish and self-hate as she reveals that she still has sexual dreams of her father and she confesses to enjoying them. Hats off to this actress for playing the truth of the role here.
Though the play is a vehicle for the four principle performers, they are ably supported by those who represent the criminal justice system and its attempt to understand what drove these three women to act as they did, conspiring to murder. Michael Howard's Detective Sergeant is inquisitive and eager to get to the bottom of the tale rather than accusatorial. He passes no judgement on the women but seeks the truth, he has a confession but Howard plays the desire for understanding very well.
Digging deeper, is the appointed psychiatrist, who is also seeking a clear appreciation of the situation and circumstances that caused Billy's family to take such a destructive form of vengeance. Michael Mayne brings gravitas and and an erudite air to the character and almost seems like a wise, old owl overseeing the telling of the story.
Finally, the lawyer for the defence is played admirably by Marie Barker. Once again she is seeking understanding and succeeds in bringing the dangerously eccentricities of Billy to the fore when she finds the alphabetised system for storing provisions and helps to reveal the obsessive/destructive nature of Billy to present as mitigation when the case goes to court.
It is difficult to say that I enjoyed this play, but I really appreciated its message and execution as a dramatic piece of theatre that highlights he conditions some women (or men) are forced to live under by abusive partners. Not every story has a happy ending and sadly, the cycle of abuse often continues inadvertently as it passes from generation to generation. Five Kinds of Silence at the Caxton Theatre will make you question why we as a society, enable and tolerate such coercive abuse happening today. I strongly recommend this play for those of you who understand what you will be asked to consider within it. The play runs from the 27 to the 29 March at 7:30pm and tickets are currently at limited availability.
Andy Evans 26 March 2025.
All photography by Andy Evans Photography, copyright 2025, and must not be used without prior permission.
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