Pennyroyal - Lauriston Studio

I ONLY spent 80 minutes in the company of sisters Daphne and Chris and found myself aching for a happy ending. The writing, acting and direction are just so good, so flawless here.

In fact director Carole Carr must have thought all her birthdays had come at once when she started working with Crystal Williams and Melanie Beswick, who play the respective roles.

From the closeness to the falling out I felt like I was watching two real sisters as Daphne struggles to come to terms with the fact she can’t have conceive naturally and embarks on an emotional journey involving IVF, a journey fraught with risk.

Williams and Beswick deliver the best performances of the Garrick season to date for me with the two actresses and director making the most of a script that is as humorous as it is heart rending.

One of the things I bleat on about when writing about the theatre is how it brings you into contact with issues you know nothing about. This is one of those occasions thanks to a very natural and intelligent and insightful script by Lucy Roslyn.

Daphne and Chris are also bright and engaging characters. It transpires later in the play however that Daphne isn’t the only one of the two sisters with a struggle on her hannds.

Exceptional, a must see.

Until January 28. The box office is on 01661 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk.

Star rating - *****