'Treats'

Went to see 'Treats' tonight at the Garrick Theatre.

Um, you want to know more? Ok...

Well, Billie Piper was having a night off (I joking said she was probably off while waiting at the bar - I must be psychic). Probably got fed up with being slapped around every night. So, this play is meant to demonstrate that sometimes the girl chooses the bad guy over the nice one, but do they have to be so unpleasant about it?

That's two Hampton plays in less than a week ('Total Eclispse' and 'Treats') and the abiding impression is that either he doesn't know any nice people or he's a mysogynist. Has he written anything upbeat or joyful? Probably, but I haven't seen it. Two plays that include wife beating. Two plays with aggressive men getting what they want. Two plays that should've been written in the Thatcher 'me me me' '80s. It all leaves a rather sour taste.

Now, I know that living in a Mary Poppins nice world would be sheer hell, but I quite like some light and shade, some "nice" to leaven the harshness of much of the world. Maybe that's one reason why Hampton is so highly thought of, that's he uncompromising? That things are black or white? I don't know. 'Hamlet' isn't cheerful or nice but it's not relentlessly unpleasant either, there is light and shade, we have rounded characters that make it thought provoking, challenging and uplifting. This isn't. I won't be going back (and, thankfully, these were cheap late-booked tickets).

And why does the Garrick stalls bar smell of drains?

'Treats'? I'd rather have a packet of treets, thank you. (Yes I thought of that on the tube home).