The relationship between fathers and sons was constantly explored in the works of author Terence Rattigan.

Initially we meet Gregor Antonescu through his son. Idealistic Basil describes how he despises everything his father represents, and wants nothing to do with that corrupt world.

Instead he is a socialist living in a basement "dump" in New York, playing piano and living like a bohemian.

When David Suchet as Antonescu actually enters, we feel we already know how ruthless a businessman and financier he can be.

A controlling, manipulative user of people, he’s as cold as ice but he never melts. He plays with words and people, drops a bombshell then just moves right on to the next situation.

He exploits weaknesses in others wherever he finds them. He uses their sexuality to control and dominate them for his own ends.

Homosexuality was still illegal when Rattigan wrote Man and Boy and a very dangerous area for a play to explore.

Betrayal and Abandonment

David Suchet has a special magnetism when on stage but the other characters are strong in their support, especially David Yelland as Sven.

As Antonescu’s right hand man he is just as ruthless and controlling, ultimately extricating himself from all blame by providing the gun and helping Antonescu write a final paragraph in his suicide note...remembering to make him sign the added lines.

The male roles dominate this play but the arrival of Antonescu’s wife Florence should have had more impact than it did.

Although looking every inch the glittering socialite, Emma Ferguson didn’t deliver the cold heartedness of the Countess Florence as she abandons her troubled husband.

She was rather disappointing in an otherwise strong cast and thankfully David Suchet managed to lift their scenes together.

Simon Higlett’s solid looking basement set cleverly provides the opportunity for the cast to perform on two levels at the same time.

The bedroom is just a few inches lower than the main setting but allows the cast to remain on stage when not actually participating in a scene.

Although Man and Boy is set in the thirties at the time of the Wall Street Crash, it is still true that corrupt businessmen profit at the expense of poor workers.

Mentioning no names...but certain powerful captains of industry have steered their ships into troubled waters and left others to clean up their mess.