Set in 1920, John Galsworthy’s The Skin Game concerns the aristocratic Hillcrist family and the messy fallout that follows their battle of wits and wallets with self-made man Hornblower. When the latter starts to evict tenants from their homes after buying land in the area, the Hillcrists decide to all that it takes to prevent him from buying further property. Though Squire Hillcrist’s plan to outbid him at auction is a failure, this only makes his wife Amy more determined to put a stop to things, even if this means resorting to blackmail and other underhand methods.

Hornblower’s brassy daughterin-law Chloe has something of ‘a past’ it seems, and it is this information that Amy chooses to use against him, threatening the happiness of his son’s marriage and his family’s reputation.

Sam Walters’ production is taut and engaging, drawing out the play’s social subtleties but never at the expense of the drama. He has also been blessed with a superb ensemble cast, many of whom also starred in the previous play at the Orange Tree, the well received Diana of Dobson’s.

Clive Francis is excellent as the volatile Hornblower, brimming with resentment at the priveledged Hillcrists and their inherited wealth, their unshakeable belief in their own superiority. Geoffrey Beevers is also on strong form as the mild-mannered squire, endearingly soft-hearted yet fatally ineffectual. Ditto Lynn Fairleigh as Amy – the power of her fury and determination that Hornblower should not triumph is quite overwhelming; Hornblower has earned his fortune and has a brusque way of doing business, in her eyes he couldn’t be further from a gentlemen if he tried and their mutual antipathy is palpable.

Though he has little to do until the later scenes, Edward Bennett gives a strong performance as Hornblower’s elder son, Charles, whose contened existence is tragically ruined by the his father’s feud. The only false note comes from Charity Reindorp, whose performance in the pivotal but difficult role of Chloe is a little too mannered.

After a tense and engaging build up, the play flounders a little in the second half, stumbling into melodrama after Chloe’s secret past finally comes to light. The final scenes are marred by an over-abundance of wailing and dashing about. Things are redeemed however in the low-key epilogue where it becomes clear to the audience and to the Squire that his failure to act, his decison to just stand meekly by as the situation escalated out of control, makes him as complicit in the messy consequences as anyone else.

Sam Walters’ latest revival marks another good move for the Orange Tree: The Skin Game is an understated but powerful piece of theatre, intelligently staged and packing real punch.

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from the archive The Winter's Tale Mark Ravenhill INTERVIEW Edinburgh Fringe 2009 SEASON PREVIEW