Review – THE DISHWASHERS at the Festival Theatre, Malvern, from Monday, March 17 to Saturday, March 22, 2014.

THE dishes really do sparkle in this philosophical and meandering look at life way down the pecking order.

It’s not that the actors don’t either, but it’s hard to fire up too much enthusiasm over this plodding production.

Even director Nikolai Foster says: “There’s no real action. It’s not plot driven”.

Instead it seems writer Morris Panych has provided a dark soap-opera-cum-sit-com that scratches away under the surface of human nature. There’s nothing frothy though – apart from the soap suds. It’s more a gentle, probing examination of the everyday existence of the working class in one of the most menial of jobs.

And not a yellow glove in sight!

Dressler is there by choice in the restaurant’s cleaning area, taking pride in his work; former high-flier Emmett, wants work to recover from financial collapse; while Moss is a decrepit old character just hanging on to life and to his job. Young Burroughs comes late on the scene to learn the ‘trade’.

This four-hander does have a first class set though – a huge, grubby basement room complete with sinks, a sprinkler and racks of crockery, and a far from welcoming wash room. Where are the health, safety and hygiene inspectors when the under-class need them?

And the quartet are excellent, led by David Essex in showing that as well as once being a widely acclaimed rock star he can also act. His Dressler is the powerful self-appointed dish king and apparent spokesman on the meaning of life.

Rik Makarem ensures Emmett is a hugely believable man of ambition and his exchanges with Essex are rare highlights, while the poignancy of Andrew Jarvis’ Moss garners sympathy.

Not quite a kitchen-sink drama, there are moments it seems to be going nowhere until a timely gem to pulls it back on track. It is quite insightful and has that workplace banter. It also has darkness, a depth of despair, but never quite tips over the edge into a futile existence. After all, there is a purpose for Dressler - having peered through the restaurant windows and observed customers eating off their sparkling dishes.

It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea judging by the very mixed comments eavesdropped upon. A relatively new work, it will be interesting to visit it again in a few years. There are hints possibly of Pinter, even Beckett, and maybe Orwell. It was quite tedious at times, but just think, you won’t have to do the dishes.

Simply send them below to the dishwashers!