Kefar Nahum, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh: Review

October 13, 2011 Leave a comment

4/5

Mossoux-Bonté’s production of Kefar Nahum is a sensual exploration of the turbulent and bizarre nature of creation. In a striking piece of visual theatre, sole performer Nicole Mossoux creates a stunning blend of theatre and dance which leaves the viewer astonished and reflective.

There is no exact plot in this piece, rather there is a seamless flow of one creation to the next conjured out of everyday objects as commonplace as clothes or watering cans. Mossoux breathes life into these items of seeming unimportance by giving them ‘being’ and a soul. Born out of nothing, a chaotic incarnation sees each creature arrive inquisitively before being devoured by a subsequent creature.

As each monstrosity changes, becoming the next, questions arise regarding the random fortuitousness of existence in what is everchanging and cyclical in nature. As each being evolves, similarities can be drawn to our own curious subsistence and how it doesn’t differ entirely from this absurd state of affairs.

Mussoux becomes part of the narrative, transforming herself into parts of the characters in a way that is disturbing yet strangely erotic. Changing costume as she goes along, she too embodies seperate identities; each as much a stranger as those she creates.

The UK rarely sees puppetry outside of childrens’ performances and it is a delight to see it used here expressing themes that come across as dark and adult, in scenes ranging from the distressing to the comedic. Accompanied by exquisite live music from Thomas Turine, an eerie and macabre element is added through a combination of various synthetic sounds which allows the viewer to be transported into this extraordinary world.

Although a relatively short piece at only 50 minutes, any longer may have felt overbearing. The style of the performance made for a sensual onslaught that really tested the extent of the viewer’s imagination and thus made its short length appropriate. For those who find visual theatre cumbersome, Mossoux-Bonté’s production offers a potential rejolting of one’s preconceptions provided you are able to engage your creativity. For anyone else, it offers a stimulating insight into the preternatural method of creation in a performance that is both innovative and gripping.

Taking from The Journal, published Wed Feb 23rd 2011.

Filed under Theatre Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

The Beckett Trilogy: Molloy, Malone Dies & The Unnamable, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh – Review

October 10, 2011 Leave a comment

4/5

Directed by Judy Hegarty-Lovett, the Gare St Lazare Players Ireland bring to the stage an adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s seminal trilogy in a marathon performance that reaches almost three-and-a-half hours. The sole performer Conor Lovett enacts a brilliantly lucid performance of Beckett’s writing that captures his humour and absurdist style, whilst making accessible the recondite nature of his material. Devoid of props, Lovett is aided only by a single spotlight; appropriate for Beckett’s minimalist approach, yet sufficient enough for storytelling. Through Lovett’s facial expressions clarity is given to the piece, as distinctions between the characters portrayed in each story are made more obvious.

As the play lacks an ongoing narrative and prolonged character development, it is difficult to define any semblance of a plot to someone unfamiliar with Beckett’s work. However, whilst Malloy and Malone Dies do feature characterisable protagonists and a determinable story – the former following a vagrant man who visits his mother for charity, despite not knowing where she lives, and the latter a bedridden man who recounts stories whilst waiting for death - The Unnamable has no coherent storyline. Instead, it favours a philosophical exposition of one character’s questioning of the metaphysical. This final act is the most dark, questioning the point of existence and attempting to comprehend the ‘nothing’ prevalent in death. Beautifully capturing the torment of a being that can no longer exist and yet who fears the transition to death, Lovett exquisitely delivers the closing lines: “I can’t go on, I’ll go on”.

The confusion of the protagonist, combined with the ontological incomprehensibility of this tragic character, is incredibly powerful. The climax of this impenetrable position is shown by the character’s fear of silence and the loss of his voice, which leads him to question whether they exist as a person or merely in the language used to describe a person. Overall, it is very well acted, with Lovett doing an excellent job of capturing the essence of Beckett’s writing. While a difficult trilogy, Lovett transforms Beckett’s works into an accessible watch. However, due to the nature of the play, it is arguably too intense to be viewed in a single sitting, as its lack of a narrative structure and deep existentialist questions make it a lot to take in.

Taken from The Journal, published Wed Feb 9th 2011.

Filed under Theatre Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh: Review

October 10, 2011 Leave a comment

4/5

Dominic Hill’s production of The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain shows a startling contrast to the sentimentality that is generally seen at Christmas shows. Whilst retaining a fairytale charm, its dark nature and occasional profanities make it a divergence from traditional family entertainment. This, however, does not detract from the excellent performances and originality with which Hill redefines the fairytale genre.

Set in a Paris on the cusp of being overthrown, it is up to hero D’Artagnan (Oliver Gomm) to safely unite the Princess of Spain (Beatriz Romilly) with the King of France (Alexander Campbell) and bring peace between warring countries and order within France. Written by Chris Hannan and inspired by the French writer Alexandre Dumas, this is not a recreation of his book but instead a completely new work that sees Dumas’ valiant protagonists reduced from their former glory to an alcoholic, a philogynist and an overweight narcissist who have been forced underground as exiles by an autocratic cardinal.

Featuring an incredibly versatile cast, Hill’s production is a two and a half hour romp through witty gags and songs to some impressive swordfights and puppetry skills. Offering easy to watch, light entertainment, this is a pantomime without the irritating audience participation. The conventional battle of good vs. bad is retained with a benevolent humour as the heroes conveniently manage to continuously escape without any fatalities, with Mendus providing the perfect backdrop for a villainous tyrant. An inventive score delivered by each member of the cast adds not only comedy but ingenuity to the piece, whilst the use of the man-eating puppet Lord Mandible, and stilts to create the illusion of the central characters being children, brings creativity and life to the fable. Whilst not your conventional fairytale, Hill offers an enlightening change to Christmas theatre that although perhaps not suitable for young children is well worth the watch for anyone else.

Taken from The Journal, published online Thu Jan 27th 2011.

Filed under Theatre Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 75 other followers