SOME plays shrink with time while others grow and, nine years after its National Theatre premiere, David Hare's play has matured well.

It is 1979 and Esme is sufficiently financially privileged that she can write a cheque for £5,000 for Amy, pregnant by Dominic, a penniless would-be film-maker who thinks theatre is dead.

Over four acts and 16 years, we see Dominic's star rise as he becomes successful, just as Esme starts to lose everything.

Naomi Unwin is excellent, playing Esme as a vain and sometimes infuriating woman who views her daughter (Clare Rhodes) with an exasperated love.

Every member of the cast was excellent and all gave such believable performances that the two and half hours flew by. The set was lovely and the final scene change handled extremely well.

I could pick out a few points of costume and set remaining the same after several years but that would be mean to the flawless acting which meant one could forgive such things.

While I thought everyone was outstanding, I must mention Stewart Barlow as Dominic who seemed to grow in stature as his fortunes progressed and the final scene which takes place in a theatre in 1995, where Esme and Dominic at last achieve a kind of peace but only at a tragic cost, was mesmerising. I am sure I could see tears in his eyes.

Well done to Patricia Richardson for an excellent production.