By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Wednesday 15 April and runs through 16 May 2026 RUNTIME: 100 minutes (no interval)

The audience taking their seats is welcomed with the offer of karaoke at The Sun Inn near Manchester by young barman Valentine played by Aaron Anthony.

• Read on for reasons including how Heart Wall offers an extremely moving final moment which feels well-earned

He sings The Whole Of The Moon by The Waterboys (sample lyric: ‘I wandered out in the world for years while you just stayed in your room’) as our heroine Franky is back in her local pub for the 1st time in over a year after moving away and finding a job and a boyfriend.

Her father Dez, played by Deka Walmsley, is evasive about the whereabouts of Franky’s mum Linda, given a lot of warmth by Sophie Stanton. and soon it becomes clear that, although there is a bond between her parents, they are estranged.

Rowan Robinson’s Franky is self-centred yet concerned about her dad’s wellbeing and intent on discovering more about her mum’s new outfits and posh suitcase on wheels.

Franky flirts with Anthony’s Valentine but he’s preoccupied by recognition for his grandmother ill upstairs as the oldest landlady in the country and for a last chance for her to visit her sisters in Ireland.

There’s a great choice of music to reflect the songs that might well be heard in northern pubs these days and a beautiful moment where mother and daughter reconcile a little to sing Brass In Pocket by The Pretenders.

Franky’s obsessed with the loss of her childhood rabbit while her best friend Charlene, given life by a spirited Olivia Forrest, is concerned about Franky’s father’s habit of walking the streets near their homes late at night.

The pace of this play without interval is occasionally meandering but the unresolved plot elements actually combine with the naturalistic language and warmth of the ensemble to give this drama its much-needed titular heart.

Slowly it becomes clear that there is a grief haunting the family that is rarely acknowledged or spoken of but influences the way they behave and with each other.

The subject of people returning home after time away feels much explored but is done so freshly here with Franky particularly unusually unsympathetic to those around her.

Heart Wall takes its time but the viewer is rewarded in the final scene with an extremely moving final moment which feels well-earned.

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy Bush Theatre Tickets
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