The Gathered Leaves, Park Theatre, stage review: ‘Nuanced study of the autistic spectrum’
The cast of the Gathered Leaves. Photograph: Rich Southgate
It is 1997 and William has brought his progeny together to celebrate his 75th birthday.
Little by little, cracks in the family reveal themselves as secrets explode and dormant resentments resurface.
But despite the relatively conventional plotline, Andrew Keatley’s The Gathered Leaves is no ordinary family drama; it is also a nuanced study of the autistic spectrum.
The play premiered at the Park Theatre in 2015 and has returned at a time when attitudes toward autism have changed enormously.
Increased understanding of the condition has turned pity to respect, which is undoubtedly hugely helpful for the neurodivergent.
What is virtually never discussed is the cruelty that some – though certainly not all – autistic people can inflict on those around them.
Ella Dale (left) Taneetrah Porter. Photograph: Rich Southgate
William is a classic case: rigid in his ways, enraged when things don’t go exactly to plan, and unable to see things from any but his own point of view.
Having banished his daughter Alice 17 years previously when she fell pregnant with mixed-race Aurelia, he shattered the family in ways that can never fully mend.
The elderly man’s blindness to the hurt of his actions may be familiar to some who have lived with a person with what used to be called Asperger syndrome.
Then there is William’s son Samuel: sweet, gentle and eager to please, though much further along the spectrum. Endearing in his vulnerability and utterly lovable (except possibly by his father), William holds his relatives together when they are flying apart.
Keatley’s penetrating study of autism’s variety is wrapped in an utterly enjoyable production with strong ensemble acting and deft timing.
Standout performances from Jonathan Hyde as William and Taneetrah Porter as Aurelia carry the show.
You certainly need not have any interest in neurodiversity to appreciate The Gathered Leaves, though the play will touch you in unexpected ways if you do.
The Gathered Leaves runs until 20 September at Park Theatre.