A FRACTURED relationship between father and son lies at the heart of Terence Rattigan's Man and Boy.

The estrangement of son, Basil (Ben Silverstone), from his father, Gregor (David Suchet), is reflected in Ben's humble apartment - a universe away from the multi-million dollar wheeling and dealing of his parent.

Yet the fragility of the money markets throws the two back together after a five-year gap and it soon becomes apparent that the balance of power might lie in the hands of the younger man. The desperate lengths to which a father will go in manipulating his own offspring takes on sinister overtones in a production that maintains a downbeat tone throughout, interspersed with the odd injection of bitter humour.

Fans of Suchet will not be disappointed as he turns in his customary measured performance.

Man and Boy runs at Malvern Theatres until this Saturday.

Review by PETER McMILLAN