In the canon of surprising things my mother told me, the fact that the Samaritans used to have designated phone lines for men wanting to use them as sex lines must rank high. It is true and is the inspiration for Harry Mould’s debut play, The Brenda Line, finely directed by Ben Occhipinti.
An assured piece of writing from a new playwright
Mould heard from their mother about her experiences as a young volunteer in the 70s. Founder of the Samaritans, the Rev Chad Varah wote a lengthy guide, Telephone Masturbators as he wanted each call to be listened to including obscene, unless it was beyond the pale and the volunteers could hang up. The policy no longer exists.
Mould has set their account of an evening shift with the volunteers in the 70s/80s in a small town. Just two characters, 19-year-old Karen on her first evening and a seasoned older woman Anne who is the Brenda (taking sex calls from men) that night.
It is an assured piece of writing from a new playwright that shows the developing relationship between the two women, erstwhile strangers. Not just about the Brenda Line they get calls from a pregnant schoolgirl and a suicidal male wanting help, evoking different responses from the pair.
Charlotte Grayson nails it as young Karen, showing all the confidence of youth and self-belief laced with occasional doubt. She is outraged by the existence of the Brenda Line which she considers disgusting. Grayson makes her rather endearing as she combines her loudly argued feminism with her teenage sense of fun.
The two women clash in a battle of age versus youth. Anne (a slightly hesitant performance from Fiona Bruce) urges Karen to just listen and reflect. She supports the Brenda Line as part of the Samaritans’ non-judgemental approach, anticipating her regular dirty caller. Anne does her best to pass on guidelines to the new volunteer.
It does feel and look like the 70s/80s and not just Anne’s dungarees and the woody office (designer Natalie Fern) but the authentic reflection of women’s lives and beliefs at that time which Mould puts centre stage.
