Sold
Hull Truck Theatre, until 17 Nov, then at Liverpool Hope University, 19-23 Nov
Sold, by John Godber and Jane Thornton, tells the story of Anja, a young Moldovan girl who is sold to traffickers by a cousin, raped a hundred times and forced to work in a London brothel until she can repay the £20,000 her captors say she owes them. Kasia Halpin brings dignity and humour to the difficult role of Anja. At one point, she has to mime being brutalised while a man describes to the audience how strong women are broken. His words alone make a strong impact; the writhing accompaniment is an unnecessary illustration - as if Godber (the director) either did not trust the power of his own text or had no faith in his audience's ability to listen and understand.
Sold's main character is Ray, a naive journalist (engagingly played by Joshua Richards) in the grip of a mid-life crisis. He meets Anja while researching a story and, desperate to 'make a difference' to the world, somehow manages to buy her freedom. The plot, creaking ever-more loudly, then demands that he set her up in a new life - with tragic consequences. Godber's and Thornton's intentions are good but, like their hero, they try too hard and ultimately achieve too little.
