Sea Wall Review

“He tells me he’s going to take me to the sea wall”, Alex tells us a third of the way through Sea Wall. Normally title drops feel artificial, shoe-horned in; but not this one. Here the idea of the sea wall stands for nearly everything in this short, powerful monologue. The steep drop to black is not just a metaphor for grief, loss or death. It is also the human desire to see it, the thrill at the fear of it and what fundamental belief or consolation wells up in that moment of terror. All of these fundamental and complex emotions have their place in Sea Wall. All summed up in 34 minutes. 34 minutes that have so much emotional intensity crammed in that they feel much longer, because how could we have lived that much in the time it takes to drive to work? Simon Stephens’ concise, powerful script and Andrew Scott’s palpably real performance make a true piece of art. Stephens uses tense masterfully, the contrast between what is and was makes the conclusion even more devastating; Alex seems to be reliving the event before our eyes. There is humour to be found too, as Alex speaks sometimes lovingly, sometimes incredulously about his father-in-law and their profound conversations about tennis and whether pi is proof of god. In an age where Richard Dawkins dominates the debate, it is refreshing to see Alex’s lack of belief described so powerfully while always remaining respectful, even gentle. Scott’s performance as Alex describes the birth of his child and his love for his wife is simply stunning. By the time we get to the end, we have in some small way fallen in love with each person Alex loves, and with Alex most of all.