The stage production, running at Tarragon Theatre until February 16, tackles the prickly issues of keeping the relationship flame alive and putting sympathy before pride.
Beginning with the discovery of a drowned woman in an Irish vacation village, Flesh is a powerful three-hander with Pierre (Blair Williams) arguing with his wife Simone (Maria del Mar) under the backdrop of the dead Mary (Nicole Underhay). The bizarre see-saw of love takes centre stage when the couple bicker and pounce on each other until the tensions hangs heavy and thick.
Pierre and Simone work together to recreate Mary’s life before her final gasp, sending the audience into flashback mode in some of the more delightful scenes. Underhay is especially colourful and zesty as the optimistic Mary pre-death, but also exhibits some impressive physical theatre when she crawls as the corpse.
What feels rough on the edges is del Mar’s acting, often bruised by flupped lines and overdone facial expressions. Something just didn’t feel right with del Mar, but luckily the strong performances by Williams and Underhay energize this production to redemption.
While the play ended with a confusing calamity, the strength of Flesh remains the writing; some of the smart observations on relationships give the show the right amount of kick.
Also remarkable about this play is how you are reminded about the themes and protagonists longer after the actors leave the stage. It stays with you, the slow burn of a compelling piece of theatre rooted in frank truths on love and loss.
