Review: APPRAISAL at Goodwood Theatre And Studios

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Sunday 19th February 2023.

Written by Tim Marriott, Appraisal features Nicholas Collett as Jo, a senior manager, and Emily-Jo Davidson as Nicky, a department head, who is reluctantly attending a meeting with him for her annual work appraisal. She would rather be back at work, and gives the impression that she sees it as a complete waste of time, like most meetings in the workplace. As the saying goes, people in meetings keep minutes and lose hours. Jo, though, has his own agenda.

Jo ignores Nicky's first couple of knocks at his door, then acts as though he had forgotten he had a meeting with her, little strategies to put her on the back foot right from the start. His smiles and superficial friendliness hide an ulterior motive, and he uses mind games as he tries to manipulate her. We soon discover that he is a sexual predator, a misogynist, bigoted, and has no qualms about using his position of power to get his own way.

Jo looks through Nicky's answers to the self-evaluation questionnaire, with the usual questions such as "how do you rate your performance", "where do you see yourself in five years", and so on. As he reads aloud her answers, he interprets them, twisting them to her disadvantage, and dismissing her explanations of her intended meanings.

Nicky, however, has a few tricks of her own up her sleeve, and some information about him, her knowledge of which he was unaware. The position of control switches back and forth, and his smile fades to anger. Eventually, he resorts to extant threats against her partner, another employee of the company, showing his true colours. He makes it clear that he expects sexual favours for not carrying out his threats, but she rebuffs him.

There are twists and turns throughout this tense play, and a final twist in the tale that nobody saw coming.

Marriott has penned a powerful, many-layered script that keeps the audience members on the edges of their seats, elated when Nicky seems to have the advantage, and disappointed when Jo gets the upper hand again. Collett, in an unusual role for him, as a villain, shows how extremely versatile he can be, delivering a chilling performance as the manipulative manager. Davidson gives an equally strong performance as Nicky, superbly
counterbalancing Collett's Jo. Between them, they certainly do justice to Marriott's inventive script.

This production closes on Sunday, along with Done to Death, by Jove!, as Nicholas Collett and Gavin Robertson have to fly back to the UK, where they have more work booked, so don't delay, book here.