FOR those of a religious persuasion, one of the hardest theological nuts to crack must be the nature of pain and suffering, and reconciling this with a belief in a higher being and a love for our fellow mortals.
In this moving adaptation of William Nicholson’s Shadowlands, this is how we are introduced to CS Lewis (Stephen Boxer) — familiarly known as Jack — as he delivers a lecture to his Oxford undergraduates on pain, suffering, love and the existence of God.
It was a great theatrical device to address the audience in front of the blackboard, as though we made up the bulk of his students. It made the talks gripping.
When we first meet Jack, he is living a cloistered Fifties existence with a bunch of fellow Oxford academics and his brother, Warnie (Denis Lill).
As Joy’s husband then divorces her, in order to help her stay in the UK, Jack agrees to a marriage of convenience, while we the audience realise before Jack does that they are fast becoming soulmates and falling in love.
It takes a cruel twist of fate to force Jack’s hand, as Joy suffers a fall and it is discovered she has terminal bone cancer.
As she lies on her deathbed, he immediately arranges a marriage of love — with its own theological discussion on marriage in the eyes of God — and shortly afterwards Joy is deemed to be in a brief remission. This reimagining of a real-life love story in the autumn years was beautifully paced and thoughtfully played.
We could see the dichotomy of Joy’s suffering and then respite and the impact on Jack’s faith as well as on his Oxford lectures.
Jack and Joy made a very convincing couple and Warnie was portrayed as a staunch supporter and warmly devoted sibling.
The bleaker aspects of the play were done with sensitivity, beautiful music and lighting, and you were left feeling glad that Jack had found Joy, and reflecting on life, love and happiness.
Review: atalie Aldred
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Shadowlands is playing at the Hexagon in Reading, from Tuesday, May 3, to Thursday, May 5.
FIRST CLASS St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School Altwood Road Maidenhead SL6 4PX 2 classes - OTTERS CLASS, Ms Knapper, Mrs Tang, Miss Grant, Mrs Fretwell
Land between Green View, Holyport Street, and Glenside, Holyport Road This week’s public notices include plans for a self-build home on a plot of land in the heart of Holyport. The site is the subject of three failed bids for housing already.
Pictures of Maidenhead MP, Theresa May. To search for a specific photo, please use the reference number printed in the newspaper caption.
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Galleries from Slough and its surrounding villages. To search for a specific photo, please use the reference number printed in the newspaper caption.
Galleries from Marlow and its surrounding villages. To search for a specific photo, please use the reference number printed in the newspaper caption.
Galleries from Windsor and its surrounding villages. To search for a specific photo, please use the reference number printed in the newspaper caption.
Galleries from Maidenhead and its surrounding villages. To search for a specific photo, please use the reference number printed in the newspaper caption.
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