Knocking on the Wall review

In Walkies Time for a Black Poodle, Ella (Joanne Gallagher), a wealthy woman with working-class roots, feels estranged from her friends on the estate where she grew up. She resents her privately educated cleaner Maggie (Foggo), who better understands the social cues of the class that Ella struggling to break into. Then something unexpected brings the two together.

And in Knocking on the Wall, middle-class, agoraphobic Dorothy (Jasmine Hyde) finds her prejudices about tradespeople, reinforced by her sister and carer Isobel (Gallagher), challenged when she shares a laugh with plumber Alec (Matt Littleson). His arrival makes Dorothy realise how isolated she has been. 

All three pieces are set in living rooms, with Delyth Evans’ set presenting new furniture and flooring for each play. It’s a reminder that loneliness can haunt any home, regardless of wealth or class. The cast gives strong performances, even if the titular play sometimes feels rushed in its nought-to-100 excitement. Foggo, as the grouchy Edie and prim Maggie, and Gallagher, as the pugnacious Ella and exasperated Isobel, are especially good.

While these stories are not quite hopeful, there’s at least a sense of peace and allyship at their end. The plays drip-feed us their characters’ predicaments, and then are wrapped up a little too quickly. I would gladly have lingered longer in all three. It’s a treat to see them on stage.