This is a powerful, emotive play with a talented cast bringing out the best in Sir David Hare's clever look at a mother-daughter relationship.

Susannah York, who plays the mother who has suffered bereavement, financial problems and is happiest pursuing her acting career into middle age, holds the production together.

From the first moment she appears on stage, the still stunning-looking actress grabs the audience's attention with her near-perfect diction and movement.

The interplay with her daughter Amy, played by Rebecca Lacey, is the highlight of this kitchen sink-type drama.

The beauty of David Hare's work as a playwright is that he delves into relationships with which everyone could identify. The play is set in the Eighties and virtually everyone in the audience can identify with someone in the plot, which centred around a wealthy middle-class family.

Michael Jayston, the Hove actor who is president of Rottingdean Cricket Club, at first played a straight bat in his role as the family friend and financial adviser. But as the play moved on, he opened up his shoulders as he tried to woo Susannah York's character.

With the breakdown of the family unit in the past 20 years, Sir David's work is neither shocking nor prudish. The Bexhill-on-Sea-born writer successfully managed to keep the audience's attention, even though this play began to get bogged in meaningless dialogue shortly before the interval.

Antonia Pemberton, as the grandmother who became forgetful in her old age, gave a brilliant performance as someone who couldn't understand the younger generation.

There are a lot of unanswered questions as to what happened to the various characters as the play progressed but that is a good thing because it sent people away talking about "what if" scenarios.

The set was a solid creation of the living room of a family who had seen better times.

Judging by the reaction of the first-night audience, this play will go from strength to strength, covering all aspects of a family living a Bohemian lifestyle. It is well worth seeing.

Theatre Royal, New Road Brighton, until May 27