THE DARK DAUGHTERS

In some measure this is an achievement, in that it is successfully and sustainedly unpleasant, but an unsavory achievement at that. The story goes back to 1895, when Mansell Roberts, on the make, sets up as chemist in a prosperous section of North London, and when the society crowd spurns him, turns to the Gospel Hall evangelist and throws in his lot with that group. He marries a wife who keeps his house and bears his daughters; but his emotional life centers on chorus girls. With his wife's death (under rather suspicious circumstances), he brings home to ""mother"" his three daughters, one of these ladies of the evening as his wife -- along with their illegitimate daughter. Nine years later, that daughter returns and finds him virtually immured, gloatingly guarded by the three spinster daughters, who are avidly awaiting their revenge for their years of wasted youth, their unwarranted poverty. A twist to a Lear theme -- unpalatable characters all around- bits of drug addiction and perversion hinted- and a general aura of madness...Not my meat.