THIS award winning David Mamet play was first produced in 1983 and has had several revivals since as it’s themes of greed, desperation and ruthless ambition are universal.

By means of three separate conversations in the first act we learn that the bosses of four estate agents in Chicago have created a contest for them to sell real estate.

The winner will get a Cadillac car and the two worst performers will get the sack.

Mamet’s fast-paced staccato dialogue is gripping and immediately communicates the pressure that each of the agents is under.

Levene is getting old and is struggling to close deals.

He begs his office manager to give him some good leads, attempting bribery in the end in his desperation but the manager ultimately won’t play ball.

In the second conversation Moss, outraged by the position that the bosses have put them in, tries to persuade the nervous Aaronow to break into the their office to steal all the best leads and sell them on to a rival estate agent.

Aaronow is reluctant and Moss uses every trick to try and convince him to do it.

Finally we see Ricky Roma, the guy who is the number one seller, closing a deal with a hapless client.

Roma demonstrates how manipulative and ruthless he can be in making sure the client signs on the dotted line.

The second act, set in the estate agents office, dramatically reveals how the three scenarios play out and the ensuing loss that is brought to each of the characters.

The star of the piece is undoubtedly Mamet’s script which is profane sharp and dynamic.

It draws in the audience from the fusillade by Levene which opens the play and doesn’t let go until Roma spits out the final line.

The ensemble cast are uniformly excellent but in particular, Mark Benton as the desperate Levene and Nigel Harman as the big shot Roma, are superb.

There are no heroes here but for a night of well crafted and acted theatre it is hard to beat.

Glengarry Glen Ross at Opera House Manchester

Paul Bargery