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Review: 4000 Miles at the Ustinov Studio by Alan King (9 out of 10)

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This is Somerset --

THE generation gap has often been a theme for playwrights but rarely has the gulf between the participants measured 70 years as it does in Amy Herzog's delightfully constructed tale of callow youth meeting feisty old age head on.

Leo, 21, arrives in the middle of the night at the Greenwich Village apartment of his 91-year-old grandmother, Vera, having cycled across the United States. On the surface they have little in common – apart from their confusion.

He is practically estranged from the rest of his family, lost his best friend in a road accident on the journey and has been dumped by his girlfriend. His grandmother exists in the bewilderment of lost hearing aids, misplaced money and muddled words – her favourite expression being "whaddayacallit".

But as his overnight stay stretches into weeks their mutual affection – regularly peppered by fiery fall-outs – expands to one of respect, care and love.

Sara Kestelman is nothing short of amazing as quirky Vera portraying the frustrations of experiencing the deterioration of both mind and body with great pathos and skilfully drawing out humour without ever making her character the subject of cruel comedy. In one of the work's best lines her "leftie" political views are explained away by her embarrassed grandson: "A lot of people were Communist back then....it was like recycling."

As her foil, Daniel Boyd touchingly plays an outwardly chirpy but inwardly troubled young man who proves that growing up can be just as painful as growing old. Jenny Hulse, as the ex-girlfriend Bec and Jing Lusi as a barroom pickup complete the cast.

James Dacre directs this UK premiere of the play which has won awards Stateside and is the second production in the Ustinov's American Season trilogy. It continues until May 11. Reported by This is 12 hours ago.

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