Theatre review: Eden End

This is the final part of West Yorkshire Playhouse's JB Priestley revival that has provided audiences with a taste of his lesser-performed plays.

Whereas Johnson Over Jordan was a surreal journey and Dangerous Corner a stylish and contemporary thriller, Eden End is a return to a more traditional period approach.

Set in 1912, the play centres around actress Stella Kirby (Samantha Robson) who returns to her family after a decade of globe trotting.

Although she is welcomed back with open arms by her doctor father and brother Wilfred, sister Lillian accuses Stella of leaving the family high and dry.

As the play unravels so to does Stella's faade of success as secrets about unrequited love and strained sibling relationships rise to the surface.

The whole cast is excellent with Diana Coupland as housekeeper Sarah and Dorothy Atkinson as Lillian giving particularly strong and poignant performances.

Sandwiching the stage between the audience also works well and the action is well directed by Ian Brown, although the play does feel a tad long.

Credit should go to the the Leeds theatre for choosing three diverse and rarely-visited plays.

Eden End draws a very fine conclusion to a fine retrospective of Priestley's work.

* Runs until November 24. Details phone 0113 213 7700.

RICHARD BRUGGER