Jennifer Saunders leads Edward Bond’s revived The Sea on consumerism and suffering
Edward Bond’s play *The Sea* has returned in its first major revival in almost 20 years, with Jennifer Saunders playing the self-important Mrs Rafi. Jonathan Munby’s production uses the contrast between a sailor fighting for his life and Mrs Rafi fretting over curtains to explore how consumerism and social rituals can distract people from suffering.
Set in a seaside village in 1907, the play also follows reclusive Evens and the aftermath of sailor Colin’s death, which leaves his friend Willy and fiancée Rose grieving and directionless. Saunders brings pompous comedy that gives way to melancholy reflection, while the production ends on a tentative note of hope and human resilience.
In short
- Jennifer Saunders brings comic pomposity to Mrs Rafi.
- Edward Bond’s play balances consumerism, tragedy and comedy.
- The revival closes with a tentative note of hope.
Explained simply
Edward Bond was a British playwright whose work often explored how communities respond to violence, hardship and social pressure. The Sea is set in a small seaside village in 1907, where a group of neighbours are confronted with grief and uncertainty after a sailor dies.
The story follows the dead sailor’s friend, Willy, and fiancée, Rose, as well as the isolated villager Evens and the socially prominent Mrs Rafi. Their different reactions show how people can become caught up in status, manners and everyday concerns while others are suffering.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “The Sea review – Jennifer Saunders takes fussing over buying curtains to Shakespearean levels”.