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Love and Money at the Young Vic

The Young Vic's small Maria theatre is inaugurated with Dennis Kelly's play about money and envy with only a little love.

The excellent cast of six, which includes Joanna Bacon, Graeme Hawley, John Kirk and Paul Moriarty, saves the 90 minute play from being slow moving. The occasional humour stops the play from being depressing.

Claudie Blakey manages to portray with conviction both the ruthless money obsessed Val and Debbie who has little but mice in her flat.

Kellie Bright, who plays Kate Aldridge in The Archers, is the overspent and sectioned Jess. She performs her long monologue with panache.

This is the climax of the show but someone near me thought, and hoped, that there was more to come.

The minimalist set by Anna Fleischle proves to be more interesting than at first suggested. it's clever and makes every scene change fascinating.

An added incentive to see this play is to be able sit in the new theatre called the Maria after theatre designer Maria Bjornson.

The tiers are steep allowing for a clear view but there seemed to be some confusion about the way in and the best exit. Regulars will soon learn that you can enter from both the bar and the first floor. The long seats take nine people but are comfortable.

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