Did Jenna Stannis live happily ever after her escape from the Liberator at the end of Warship?
It’s probably not giving too much away to say that she quite definitely didn’t. Steve Lyons’ story begins with Jenna posing as a nurse to get close to someone who she needs and relating her tale in an effort to persuade him to join her; it concludes with a high-octane fraught few minutes, as the veteran smuggler has to use every trick she knows in order to try to survive.
If you’ve watched the series, you know that Blake told Tarrant some of Jenna’s story when they met in the finale, so there aren’t surprises as to the eventual conclusion. If you don’t remember all the fine details, then you may be in for a shock. Lyons has taken the bare bones of description and added some convincing details – in particular the final lines of the play.
The story allows Sally Knyvette to give a stunning performance. She’s not always seemed quite as comfortable vocally reprising the role as some of her crew mates, but there’s no question that we’re listening to Jenna here. Her attempts at self-deception about what she’s doing and why (as well as the other deceptions she’s practising) begin to fail, and she’s stripped down to her core for the closing moments, with Knyvette successfully portraying the desperation and then acceptance.
Verdict: Not an easy play to listen to, but a valid addition to the myth. 8/10
Paul Simpson
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