The Winter's Tale (RSC) *****

The Winter’s Tale is one of the last plays that Shakespeare wrote and many people see echoes of his own life in the story. The premature death of a son and the reunification of love and family against all odds seem to speak from a place close to the Bard’s heart. Be this as it may, it is all conjecture and as such becomes only one layer of what is a heavily nuanced play. The balance between reality and fairy tale is played to the limit and the trials of the characters are swift and severe for the most part. The play tries to balance various opposites with each other, giving the show a character unlike his other work. This RSC production captures a perfect balance between these various aspects of what is an enchanting whole.

      

The set design is simple but tremendously effective and warrants first mention. From the opening there are two large bookshelves lined with books that dominate the stage, elaborately filled by a dining table. When Leontes’ world comes crashing down around him, so do the bookshelves in a spectacular and unexpected moment that sees the whole stage change character in one brutal movement. The world becomes full of torn paper and books that act as scenery, grass, leaves on the imaginative trees and even costumes for a dance at the fayre and a puppet for the infamous pursuing bear. The puppet must reach about ten feet high and is marvellous piece of work. The artistic design of this torn paper look is surprisingly well suited to the play, helping it achieve the delicate balance between fairy tale and reality. A fantastically well used effect.

      

The actors take on the gauntlet thrown by the remarkable set and artistic design, carrying the torch with remarkable energy. Foremost among these is Greg Hicks, who is tormented almost from the first instant he appears on stage. The swift and dramatic descent of Leontes is one that can be hard to place without making it full of aimless shouting and general ire. Hicks manages to balance the desire to be rational and the inability to do so in what is a puzzlingly moving performance in the first half. His jealous rage flashes and fires in a powerful and directed way, bringing a reality to the show that is much needed. His performance is powerful, giving the authority that Leontes holds a feel of danger. You feel like you don’t know what he’ll do next even if you know the play. He single-handedly anchors the show in the serious and traumatic.

      

In contrast, Larrington Walker does everything he can to counter this. From the moment he walks on with his walking stick to the moment he leaves dressed up in his new gentlemanly suit he is a perpetual source of comic charm, bringing a lighthearted energy and wit that belies his age. He gifts us with what I would call a youthful performance and one that is a wonderful yin to Greg Hicks’ yan.

      

Noma Dumezweni also deserves a mention for the assured way in which she brings Paulina to the stage. Her character has the unenviable task of confronting the male powerhouses of the story and she does so with an authority that draws you to her. She is tasked with treading the tightrope between the real and the imagined when she has to bring Hermione back to life at the end and she does so with a wonderfully natural talent.

      

The supporting cast were in typically tremendous RSC form, their performances all standing up to the rigour of critique. Samantha Young, Tunji Kasim and Kelly Hunter all deserve a mention for their energetic and emotive contributions. The younger couple making the earlier sheep-shearing fayre a thoroughly enjoyable and ceaselessly entertaining period before the unification at the end plucks at your heartstrings in its magically melancholy way. The beginning of the second half with the introduction of Autolycus and the fayre is a marvelously energetic opposite to the first half, the dancing and costume making a previously dark scene lighten and gives a stage for the youth and magic of childhood and adolescence to fight against the pain of regret and mistakes that the older characters feel. Darrell D’Silva and John Mackay struck up a wonderful partnership as Polixenes and Camillo especially when they appear disguised in their tweed suits and bumbling mannerisms. A wonderful demonstration of ensemble work.

      

The music is an important aspect of the story and is a just as important cog of this production, the musicians both onstage and offstage add colour to the show and along with a very dramatic and sometimes harrowing echo effect it gave the show an added dimension that is hard to achieve, especially with Shakespeare. A similarly enjoyable achievement of the show is the humour that the cast bring out of the show. Understanding the language perfectly and bringing it out in a vivid array of colours and sounds brought laughs and good humour that broke up the harsh torment that takes center stage.

      

The unity of this production is remarkable. It navigates a demanding script with an effortless ease that holds the various facets of the show in a wonderful balance. This is as fine a Shakespeare show as you could wish for: entertaining and provocative, funny and dark, harsh and imaginative. A magnificent show.

Written by William Shakespeare; Directed by David Farr; at the Roundhouse Theatre; starring Darrell D'Silva, Noma Dumezweni, Greg Hicks, Kelly Hunter, John Mackay, Larrington Walker, Brian Doherty, Gruffudd Glyn, Tunji Kasim, Samantha Young; Runs from 14 December 2010 - 01 January 2011 as part of the RSC London Season.

http://roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/rsc-the-winters-tale

John Ord (16/12/2010)

Antony and Cleopatra (RSC) ****

Antony and Cleopatra is not a show I knew a great deal about going in, which is annoying to admit. The show, I’m glad to say, has remedied this wonderfully. The show is clear all the way through and at no point did I feel out of depth or lost with the language, which is a supreme compliment for anyone attempting to stage Shakespeare. Compliments seem to flow naturally for this show, which is a masterful excursion into the realm of Shakespearean drama. From the off the atmosphere is one of high drama, the auditorium filled with smoke, which continues intermittently throughout. The story is one that involved very powerful characters that have great authority and charisma, true leaders of men in a golden age of war and conquest. The show details the fall from grace of perhaps the greatest of these men and as such requires a production that is equally strong and physical. It delivers fantastically.

      

The set was typically RSC and was well done, a rusty wall at the back giving both a fitting backdrop and an innovative system of entrances and exits, the style similar to that of the Romeo and Juliet. The general image of the show was something I liked. It was in perfect keeping with the themes and the story, giving the action a very grounded and real feeling.

      

Darrell D’Silva’s efforts of Antony were unfalteringly majestic throughout. He owned the stage whenever he was present and delivered what was a powerful performance. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of his character; from his beard (definitely worth a mention!) to the depth he had, effortlessly and dramatically bringing Antony to life. He was as a lion, owning the stage in the confidence that it is rightfully his and when challenged, thrashing and lashing out with a violence that was, at times, terrifying and at all times majestic to behold.

      

When I first saw Kathryn Hunter enter the stage as Cleopatra she didn’t wholly convince me. This, however, proved to be a good demonstration of the old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ as she grew into the role as the drama unfolded, conveying the conflict of her tortured love for Anthony and her pride as the legendary Queen of Egypt with a distraught agony that was violently emotional. Her efforts with her numerous costume changes deserve a mention, as well as her ability to act out the more dramatic scenes powerfully, though her overall performance could have done with more colour.

      

The performance that stood out for me other than Darrell D’Silva was Brian Doherty as Enobarbus. As one of the supporting cast he made a decent bid for a lead role. He was mature and well rounded and his journey was one that you found yourself eager to follow and his end came as a genuinely upsetting moment in the play. He found the character of a battle-hardened soldier who has become disenchanted with life very well, putting his store in his captain above all else. A very strong performance.

      

Other cast members were generally strong in their roles, notably Katy Stephens, Larrington Walker and Clarence Smith. Adam Burton’s Scarus grew from a role that was very much incidental character in the first act to someone who found himself at the center of the action and along with Katy Stephens gave a very emotional portrayal of two strong fighters who are faced with their cause falling down around them. I rate these two (and Brain Doherty) very highly indeed.

      

John Mackay (Caesar) was, however, a bit poor. I found myself struggling with his character and his apparent inconsistency between merciful and brutal. He could have found a better path through the character as he came across confused and inconsistent, which was a disappointment as he was meant to be the challenge to such a strong Antony as Darrell D’Silva.

      

One of the few things that didn’t work in the show is the costume. Any attempt to make a modern dress production of Shakespeare runs a gauntlet of risks and although Antony and Cleopatra makes a valiant effort and largely succeeds there are a few moments where it falls down. Cleopatra has a myriad of amazing costumes throughout but they seem confused at times with the conflict between the archaic language and modern dress not being fully resolved. The decision to put Caesar and a few others in suits as opposed to military gear like the rest of the cast is odd and felt a bit out of place. I would say, however, that it was a largely very successful attempt at modern dress period drama.

      

I also wasn’t a fan of the way in which they portrayed the sea battle but I recognise that it’s a difficult thing to do and have no qualms about them doing it in that way.

      

This is a show that it would be a shame to miss. This is the RSC doing what they do best and doing it well. Apart from the pitfalls that it is incredibly difficult to avoid with Shakespeare it is a generally very able cast giving a very good account of themselves, led from the front by Darrell D’Silva, who gives a truly inspiring performance. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and would recommend it for anyone wanting to see something majestic on stage.

Written by William Shakespeare; Directed by Michael Boyd; at the Roundhouse Theatre; Starring Darrell D'Silva, Kathryn Hunter, Brian Doherty, Adam Burton, Katy Stephens, John Mackay, Greg Hicks, Larrington Walker; Runs from 08 December 2010 - 30 December 2010 as part of the RSC London Season.

http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/rsc-antony-and-cleopatra

John Ord (08/12/2010)

Romeo and Juliet (RSC) ***

Having seen a lot of RSC productions in Stratford-upon-Avon and being awed by the quality (with the necessary exceptions) of the overall body of shows I had high hopes coming to see one in London. I was immediately impressed by the Roundhouse theatre space that is, in essence, a re-working of the RSC Swan theatre; it’s thrust stage giving the company a great deal of space to work with. They set about doing so with an energetic dynamism from the offset, with a wonderfully dramatic and precisely choreographed fight scene that looked like a ridiculous amount of fun. I mean, seriously, fire from the ground, swords and chains and everything. Lucky buggers.

      

The set was a wonderful servant to the show, giving a number of levels that were used excellently as well as the various entrances and exits. The lighting worked well with the set, casting dark shadows across the stage and giving the whole show a very dark and brooding atmosphere throughout. I felt that it could have been a bit lighter, with much of the lighting making it difficult to make out the action in much the same way as the music in the party scene was so loud that the actors forced to shout over it were hardly audible at all. Both the music and the lighting, however, were strong elements of the show. I especially enjoyed the music and dance in the party scene as well as the religious backing music to the Friar’s cell.

      

The acting bears up against scrutiny as well. Sam Troughton makes a surprisingly strong Romeo. With the character commonly being associated with a strong and assertive character he takes a more emotional angle and this comes across well. He strikes the tension in his character with such a desperate approach that we understand the lost character in his anguish. He connects the character more than just being the poster boy and does a very impressive job. Juliet, however, could have been stronger. A couple of times her speech felt directionless, as if she’d forgotten what the words actually meant. Her character seemed a bit shallow almost, as if she hadn’t fully understood all that was happening until her dramatic final scenes.

      

The way in which Jonjo O’Neill tried to make Mercutio comedic must be commended but it did appear as if he was trying to make something out of nothing and it felt like he was forcing a circle into a square hole. His overly outrageous mimes were certainly entertaining and gave him a defined character but I remain unconvinced by the decision to play him that way.

      

The best performance of the show has to be Noma Dumezweni. Her nurse had a character more fully formed than the rest of the cast with mannerisms and a living presence that was certainly missing in the rest of the supporting cast. She had moments where she dominated the stage and I thoroughly enjoyed her assured performance.

     

The show at this point in the review has lots of positive points. However, it was also riddled with odd directorial decisions that dragged it down. Opening with Romeo entering what must have been a modern-day monastery with a camera and being approached by a tour guide seemed to indicate that it would be a modern dress production. The modern dress, however, only continued for the title roles. This meant that while most people were marching around with doublets, capes and tights you had Romeo in a hidden jacket on a bike (yes, a bike) at times and Juliet in an arty shirt and converse shoes. I was struggling with this decision enough before all the characters entered at the death in modern dress, inexplicably changing from their doublets to leather jackets, jeans and the like. Even now I don’t understand exactly what the intention was behind this and how or why it was thought to be plausible.

      

Another odd decision was to add song into the final scenes. Without any warning and with no justification I can think of Balthasar begins to sing some of his lines in a very stylistic way that had no previous part in the show. The result was a jarring halt in the flow as I tried to work out why he was singing and as everybody seemed to lose what he was actually saying. 

      

This was surprising as the rest of the show looked amazing. The non-modern costumes were good, as were the array of props and set that were brought on at various points. The masks for the party scene (which was probably one of the best scenes in the show) deserve special mention for both their functionality and their symbolism. The blocking was a display of confident and technically brilliant direction, the characters moving in patterns and shapes that were delightful to watch, however the more fundamental decisions on the stylistic approach to the show let Rupert Goold’s contribution down.

      

The show was not badly acted, in fact much the opposite, but the decisions to incorporate modern dress and to throw in stylistic odds and ends cluttered the show with unneeded images that hampered its ability to really connect with the audience. The actors do a good job in a show still worth seeing despite these artistic upsets.

Written by William Shakespeare; Directed by Rupert Goold; at the Roundhouse Theatre; Starring Sam Troughton, Mariah Gale, Noma Dumezweni, Jonjo O'Neill, Forbes Masson, Oliver Ryan, Richard Katz; runs from 30 November 2010 - 01 January 2011 as part of the RSC London Season.

http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/rsc-romeo-and-juliet

John Ord (02/12/2010)

The Glass Menagerie ****

Tennessee Williams has often been heralded as one of the best playwrights in the history of the English-speaking language and, being unfamiliar with any of his work other than A Streetcar Named Desire, I wasn’t too sure what to expect as I walked into the innovative space at the Young Vic theatre. I can happily say that I was very impressed indeed. For those of you unfamiliar with the play, it is a memory play. This means that it is a play written from the perspective of someone looking back at events of the past and often, as in this case, it is narrated by said person.

      

The intertwining of the narration with the story itself was something that director Joe Hill-Gibbins put together very well. Often within the action of the play the narrator (Tom played by Leo Bill) would signal to the musicians on the higher level and they would begin playing and the lights would change in what was a regular and effective fashion. Which brings me to the musicians.

      

I have said many times that having a constant score underlying the play and cropping up here and there is something that has to be done very well to succeed and that I have not yet seen it done well. Intermittent birdsong to give the illusion of being in the countryside often makes you far more aware that you are sitting in a West End theatre so it’s always my policy to avoid it unless it really works. Thankfully in The Glass Menagerie it really works. The constant ditties on the piano make it feel like a painful memory, which makes the structure of the play more solid and gives Leo Bill an easier job in his narration. The music did astound me. The majority of it was in perfect keeping with the glass theme of the play; a series of wine glasses filled with water played beautifully and subtly. My praises go to Simon Allen and Eliza McCarthy for doing such a fantastic job of the music.

      

The acting was not substandard either. Leo Bill gave an assured and suitably torn performance as the anguished Tom, who seems to have nothing but thankless responsibility on his shoulders. He took his dual roles of Tom and narrator in his stride and made it seem a natural link and not a ham-fisted theatrical technique.

      

Deborah Findlay plays a fantastically overbearing and unbearable mother figure, whether that be a compliment or not, and within a few minutes you were in cahoots with Tom and his inability to put up with her. Her performance is an energetic one that doesn’t drop the ball once throughout the whole show, which is impressive indeed.

      

Kyle Soller is the other cast member, who plays the self-assured to the point of arrogant Jim. When he enters the stage the dynamic changes and his bouncing character is so full of vibrant life that it contrasts beautifully with the trapped and tortured family he has come to visit for dinner. His performance is strong and brings out the best and more nuanced aspects of Sinead Matthews’ Laura.

      

Any review of this show would be remiss if it didn’t make a special mention of Sinead Matthews. Her Laura was the most powerful female performance I have seen all year bar none. I found myself wondering if they had cast her because she already had a limp and a stammer or if she was putting them on beautifully. It appeared that such beauty would be the watchword for her performance, carrying off the dignity and troubled soul of Laura with a grace that is necessary for the role. She is wounded and doesn’t over-play her hand. She is coy and quiet and her performance was, I think, the main success story of this brilliant show.

      

Without exception the cast slotted in to their characters with such poise that it was easy for the audience to drop in to the setting of the play and empathise with the turmoil of all the characters.

      

The script was masterfully interpreted and the painful scenes at the end almost had me in tears, certainly squirming uncomfortably as the extremely relatable characters’ hopes fell apart despite their best efforts and the apparent turn of good fortune. Again, Sinead Matthews is at the heart of it all.

      

The use of what is a very versatile stage was suitable varied. Hill-Gibbins made good use of the levels with people often marching up and down the stairs and across the balcony past the musicians. The partition that they used in the second act made for both intimate and grander scenes, giving the actors a chance to play with much more space than there actually was. Everything seemed to fit the show and there was nothing that stood out as excessive or unnecessary.

      

There were very few things that ran against the strength of the show. A few stumbled lines were close to becoming a problem but as it were they were taken and swiftly forgotten as the play marched on. Other than that and the badly timed change of Sinead Matthews’ hair colour from the blonde of the poster to a brunette there was little to pick at.

      

I would thoroughly recommend seeing this production and with it being extended for two weeks they’re doing all they can to make sure you do. 

Written by Tennessee Williams; Directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins; at the Young Vic; Starring Leo Bill, Deborah Findlay, Sinead Matthews, Kyle Soller; runs from 11 November 2010 - 15 January 2011.

http://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/the-glass-menagerie

John Ord (24/11/2010)

Blasted ****

Much has been said of Sarah Kane and her hard-hitting and often unintelligible approach to theatre (especially in 4.48 Psychosis) but in this revival of Blasted from Sean Holmes, the central voice of her work speaks through the intensity and the horrifying events within the play. Sarah Kane herself was a traumatized person, suffering for years with severe depression that eventually led to her suicide in 1999; four years after Blasted had it’s debut performance at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs. Heralded by Aleks Sierz as a figure at the forefront of the movement in the 1990s that he dubbed ‘in-yer-face’ theatre (theatre that is designed to be vulgar, shocking and confrontational as a means of affecting an audience on a deep and challenging emotional level) she holds a special place in the history of British theatre writing. This revival of Blasted certainly gives this style a hearty and strong re-introduction to the London scene.

      

The curtain opens onto a simple and elegant set that is undoubtedly the most pleasant and ‘regular’ moment in the show. It gives the impression of a clean and simple lifestyle, which is something that is completely destroyed by the end of the play when the bomb-ravaged hotel is nothing but a ruined shell with a grave-to-be in the centre surrounded by death and debris. The set change to the ruins after the second scene is executed very well, with the sudden increase in space and lack of the lighting that dominated the previous scenes being an omen of what evils were to take place in the suddenly desperate world that had been hidden from us before.

      

The acting was as raw as the material. The stage being set in a simple way allowed the actors to explore the material to a full extent without worrying about props and the like; a string of good decisions from director Sean Holmes facilitating such necessary freedom. Aiden Kelly’s ‘Soldier’ was as harsh and brutal as a cold winter morning, breaking into the action with an assault rifle and instantly upping the tempo and changing the dynamic with unquestionable authority. Suddenly the balance of power shifted utterly and full credit goes to Aiden Kelly for his efforts to make the character so harsh as well as having to lie still and dead on stage for what must have given him far too much time to think about the play and the events therein.

      

Lydia Wilson’s ‘Cate’ was also subjected to a harrowing story. From her entrance I was aware that she was a young girl, probably about sixteen, not of the greatest intellect and also suffering from quite a serious stammer as well as intermittent fainting spells. Her story drags her from an uncomfortable relationship with Ian to offering herself to soldiers to abuse at will in return for food and drink at the end, returning to her helpless companion at the end, lost in a harsh reality too far out of her depth to survive for long. For someone so fresh out of drama school it was a very commendable outing.

      

However, special commendation has to be given to Danny Webb for his ‘Ian’. A character that must be horrendously demanding to play has not stood between him and a poignant and assured performance that stands to his credit. His series of transitions from being in control and assured of his opinions and beliefs but fearful of death to all his fears being realised and his sudden humbling were all taken in an able stride as he dominated the stage with his human reality. He managed to understand and communicate a character struggling to understand himself and facing so many things that he doesn’t know how to deal with in such a way that we, as the audience to his suffering, connect with him, identify with his pain and suffer with him; a remarkable achievement.

      

The play progresses from mild snaps of anger and vulgarity through hints of suggested violence and violation to horrific displays of sex, rape, torture and cannibalism on stage before the end, certainly shocking the audience to the core. As I seated myself in the auditorium I became aware of a flock of schoolgirls behind me, clearly on a school trip of some description. It seemed that they had more knowledge of what to expect than I (having no knowledge of the play at all going in) as they were saying that they were scared and didn’t know what to expect. Almost two hours of nervous laughter, screaming and hearty gasping later they were utterly silenced and I think that this is the effect that Kane would have desired her work had. Stunned silence all round. To think that man is capable of such ‘evil’ is surely a disturbing thought and it definitely disturbed, both the gabble behind me and myself as well. Deeply.

      

The show is a challenge to watch and is certainly successful in its intention to shock and silence us. A first rate revival with actors doing a superb job ensures the lasting success of the legacy of the troubled author and puts a notch in the positive column for the Lyric, Hammersmith. A daring production of what is, in essence, an incredibly grim play.

      
Grim, but well worth a visit if you’re open to being shocked and appalled, which you should be.


Written by Sarah Kane; Directed by Sean Holmes; at the Lyric, Hammersmith; starring Danny Webb, Aiden Kelly and Lydia Wilson, running 22 October 2010 - 20 November 2010.

http://www.lyric.co.uk/whats-on/production/blasted/


John Ord   (17/11/2010)

Design for Living *****

Having already seen this production and given it the handsome rating of five stars I knew exactly what the cast and creative team were capable of when I booked my ticket. Going in, the question was whether the show had maintained the level of brilliance that it had demonstrated at the previews. I can answer that question with a resounding yes and a more in-depth review than before.

Any review of the show is remiss if it fails to mention the simple but elegant sets, peppered with details that make all three locations appear both artistic and lived-in at the same time. There is nothing out of place on the stage and everything is beautiful.

The acting is of the highest order as well. Knowing the excellence of the cast from my previous outing I was expecting a good show, though half expecting them to fail to repeat the performance I had seen before. Happily, I found myself in stitches regularly trying to contain my hyena-like squeals from the poor souls sitting near me. I largely succeeded, though with no help from the cast. The pauses were perfectly timed, the witticisms that make Noël Coward unique were delivered with unfaltering style and charm, making them all as delightful as intended. The twists and turns as the characters try and keep up with the silliness of their lifestyle, which is a struggle for the trio and most notably the honest Ernest, whose explosion at the end has developed over the run from an outburst that had begun as hilarious but has now exceeded even that.

The relationship between Otto and Leo is also one that has developed since the first time I saw the show. Their performances seem more relaxed and neither is afraid to experiment on stage with odd ways to sit on a sofa or dramatic ways of saying their lines. Tom Burke and Andrew Scott are having fun with what is an ingeniously witty script and it is a wonderfully enjoyable spectacle to behold.

The scene where Otto and Leo are re-united in London and drink themselves through their turmoil had the whole audience laughing out loud regularly and was wonderfully dramatised, the characterisation bringing out the best of the dialogue as well. They are wonderfully cast and do a fantastic job with each other.

Although Tom Burke is a fantastic and assured Otto I feel I have to give a special mention to the petulant and outright silly Andrew Scott who revels in his character, bringing a youth and an excitement to the show that even Coward’s script doesn’t give up quite so easily. He takes the already humorous raw materials and crafts them into something doubtlessly magnificent.

Gilda is not to be left out of the running by any means. Lisa Dillon tackles what is a very difficult part to master with such rampant confusion and volatility that her actions and reactions are perfectly plausible. She brings a character to the stage that doesn’t understand her role in the erotic hotch-potch that is the socially unconventional trio. Throughout the play she develops her understanding and, however much she tries to escape it with the fantastically upstanding Ernest, she comes to learn that the three of them are inseparable.

The extravagance, arrogance and absurdity of the life they live is brought out fantastically by the presence of Ernest, the wise, dully effulgent spectator to the drama who sits aloof from it all (at least until the very end) and tries to calm them all down with his precise wisdom and agèd charm. Angus Wright makes the most of a character that has just as much fun as anyone in the script.

The smaller roles are also well played. The development of their performances was interesting to watch, Miss Hodge was even funnier than she had been before, especially with her manner of answering the phone and her judgmental sensibilities. She, as with Ernest, is a wonderful expression of the difference of the life that Leo and Gilda (and, of course, Otto) have been living.

Keeping up with all the quips in the script and the beauty of the set and costumes could not have been an easy job, though definitely an enviably enjoyable one, and one that is a credit to Anthony Page’s direction. He has handled the cast wonderfully, allowing them the opportunities and the freedom to experiment and enjoy the lines that they are given, exploring the characters they have formed so fully and the results are magnificent.

It’s not very often that you see a show that makes you wish that it were a film so that you could watch it again and again and again but this production is one such show. Having seen it twice I would still go again and would certainly love it.

The script stands the test of time, the characters are possibly more relevant now than in Coward’s time and I’m sure that Coward himself would have loved every moment of the spectacle presented by what is a very talented team of individuals.

It’s a wonderful synergy of everything that goes into putting a show together. Nothing stands below par, making the whole so much greater than the sum of its parts that it is convincingly the best piece of theatre that I have seen this year.

Written by Noel Coward; Directed by Anthony Page; at the Old Vic Theatre; starring Lisa Dillon, Angus Wright, Tom Burke and Andrew Scott.


http://www.oldvictheatre.com/whatson.php?id=68


John Ord   (13/11/2010)

Onassis ****

Aristotle Socrates Onassis: a name that seems to necessitate great things and a life that never failed to deliver them. One of the richest men in the world he stood against countries and seduced the most desirable women. Nothing seemed to be beyond the Greek shipping magnate, his life unfolding like the Homeric stories he obsessed over. Living like the great god of the sea, Poseidon, his story of money, women and amorality finally comes to the West End in what is a brilliant example of storytelling at the Novello Theatre.

The difficulties in telling a story that is as historical as this lie in choosing the right parts of the story to tell and doing so in the right way. This is by no means an easy choice to make, especially with a life so rich (in every sense) as that of Aristotle Onassis. The biographical work done by Peter Evans in Nemesis and Ari has paved the way for a precise and masterful script from Martin Sherman, lifting out his remarkable marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy and his tempestuous relationship with the rest of the Kennedy clan as the focus of a story so remarkable it’s a wonder it’s not fantasy.

The erudite cruise through the life of Onassis takes us into a life that thrashes between light frivolity and dark seriousness. The statement of Onassis’ role in the assassination of Bobby Kennedy is one that carries major consequences, and has provoked criticism from the Onassis Foundation, yet the picture we are given of Onassis is of someone to whom danger and conflict is no obstacle. His early life in Smyrna and his motto of ‘there is no right or wrong: there is only what is possible’ certainly made him a talented and unscrupulous businessman. The play captures this brilliantly, giving him a depth of character with his passion for his Greek heritage; the love of Greek mythology and the music of his people, and offsetting this with the coldness that he takes to his business.

Given fantastical material to work with and an equally dynamic script it would have taken a poor actor indeed to screw it up. Robert Lindsay is not a poor actor and he is nothing short of sublime in the role. His character permeates the whole show, from the energetic dancing to his recording of the announcement at the beginning, asking people to turn off their mobile phones and save themselves ‘public humiliation’. He takes to the role like Poseidon to the sea, the character of Onassis being utterly indistinguishable from Lindsay the actor. The accent, the mannerisms, the small ticks and his grasp of the fundamental flashes in Onassis’ character makes it feel as if Aristotle Onassis himself is marching powerfully around the stage like the old school God of War.

The supporting cast are also all great in their roles, notably Lydia Leonard as Jacqueline Kennedy paints a picture of a woman attracted to excitement and paradox; ‘Captain Hook on a yacht with both hands’. She is both meek and powerful at the same time, giving an insight into the dangerous triangle that existed between her, Onassis and Bobby Kennedy.

Making sense of the absurdly inter-connected mess of lovers that these people were involved in, and of which Onassis was at the centre, is a difficult task and is one that is bravely and adeptly undertaken by Gawn Grainger, whose character ‘Costa’ takes on both roles as Onassis’ chief confidant and narrator for the audience. His performance is worthy of merit as he gives Lindsay’s masterful Onassis a solid and more human counterpart as well as filling in all the historical facts that are required but difficult to assimilate.

The other cast members also take on this difficult duality of roles with surprising ease, making the distinction between history and narration so fine that it ceases to exist at all. This is the result of good direction. Their characters are well characterised and develop the Greek heritage and passions in such a way that gives Onassis a context that can be understood in a communal sense, as if he is the god of the group that surrounds him.

The play darts between opposites all the time; from cool lovemaking to fiery anger, from cold business to heated passion and the cast keep up with the rapid fluctuations perfectly, most notably Lindsay, who is the one changing the scene most of the time. As he says in the first scene, he doesn’t approve of subject changes unless he’s making them and throughout the play it is him who is utterly dominant to the point of near-omnipotence. He said in real life that the lives of the super-rich were akin to those of the ‘heroes’ of Ancient Greece and he was certainly among this category, likely worshipping Hermes, God of both theft and trade and to Onassis the two often went together.

On the stage, this dynamism and passion is brought to vigorous life by Robert Lindsay and his supporting cast, who balance the contradictions and controversies surrounding this powerful figure in a performance that is so full of skill it would make the gods themselves both envy and adore what they saw.

A truly brilliant show.

At the Novello Theatre, written by Martin Sherman, directed by Nancy Meckler, cast includes Robert Lindsay, Lydia Leonard, Gawn Grainger and Anna Francolini, runs from 30th September 2010 - 8th January 2011.

John Ord (11/11/2010)

The Country Girl ***

Clifford Odets was one of the foremost writers in the American theatre, finding his voice around the strangled agony of the Great Depression. After Broadway successes with Waiting for Lefty and Golden Boy and his successful work with the acting troupe known as ‘The Group’ behind him, The Country Girl premiered on Broadway in 1950. It is generally considered the most mature, refined and insightful of his works, as well as one of the most authentic ‘backstage’ scripts that American theatre had produced.

      

This production of The Country Girl also has a neat symmetry to it. Martin Shaw has starred in the play before, filling the part of Bernie the young director, in a production that also took place at the Apollo Theatre. Now he comes full circle, returning to the play in the role of the aged actor, Frank Elgin.

      

Martin Shaw’s performance is nothing short of magnificent. Capturing astutely the volatile character, whose self-image is as complicated as the image that he constructs for everyone else. Whether prancing around the stage, projecting the image of a dancing, majestic lion or curled up in a teary foetal mass in his dressing room he is utterly convincing. The character of Frank is a complex beast and it’s a very demanding part due to the constant contradictions within the character that are brought out so violently at times but Shaw handles it superbly and produces a compelling performance.

      

Mark Letheren excels in what is, I think, a difficult part to master. He portrays the image of an ambitious, confident young director who knows what he wants and is willing to stand up for it. I do have issue with the attempts at making his character more troubled. He is very aggressive and I struggle to see much of a justification for it. I also think that a few steps were missed out in his relationship with the rather wooden Georgie Elgin (Jenny Seagrove). The mutual attraction was evident from the outset but it seemed to me to lack foundation. He spends most of the play at odds with her and only when he comes to realise the truth about Frank (in what is a genuinely moving and powerful scene) does he realise that he’s in love with her. This leap, for me, seems tenuous. Although it’s not uncommon for such a transition to occur I felt that emotions weren’t running high enough for the transition to appear believable.

      

Jenny Seagrove, I think, was undoubtedly the weak link in the chain. Her performance was of a very reserved Georgie, where I think more violent emotions would have made for a more relatable character. She spoke unclearly and quietly at times and her choices regarding the development of the character left a lot of the scenes she was in lacking the spark that was hidden in the script. She played her older than she was, even though the character acts older she is still young and that youth is missing.

       

The direction of the show was a strong showing for Rufus Norris. The show kept the integrity that the script demands and all the cast had distinctive roles and characters (I particularly enjoyed Luke Shaw’s performance) that came together well and succeeded in conveying the image of a show behind the scenes.

      

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene changes; the setting of a play being staged made a natural setting for a crew to bark at each other and practice scene changes during the actual scene changes. I see this as a piece of strong direction, keeping the main characters from the preceding scene working while the crew busy themselves in the background. Slickly managed and entertaining, it often brought some much needed light humour to what is a heavy play.

      

However, as much as the script may be ‘refined and mature’, the occasional quip about actors and audience behaviour makes the show enjoyable but not entertaining, the constant switching between personas makes it difficult to keep up with and the suspect characterisation of some key roles and moments makes the characters less relatable and accessible than necessary to excuse their complexity to an audience who is likely only going to see the show once.

      

On top of this, a more fundamental criticism of the story is the basic plot. Who would expend so much effort to coax such a troublemaker back to the stage instead of hiring someone popular and who will put ‘bums on seats’? Extrapolating from that shaky premise was always going to be difficult and I don’t think the complexity of the story is perfectly suited to a play; though would perhaps make a fine novel.

      

On this point, I would say that the show may be very poignant and insightful but I struggled to see that in the production. I followed the characters on their journey and by the end I cared about what happened, at least to some of them, but not, unfortunately, the character in the title role. The play is called The Country Girl but her struggle was underplayed in favour of her onstage husband (Shaw).

      
Although I’d say it was a good show, I’d also say that what makes the script so refined was lacking in the performance.




At the Apollo Theatre, written by Clifford Odets, directed by Rufus Norris, cast includes Martin Shaw, Jenny Seagrove and Mark Letheren, runs from 6th October 2010 - 26th February 2011.


John Ord (02/11/2010)