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The hidden world of women
Anon
Welsh National Opera
midland arts centre
**** IN A taut 40 minutes this new opera
created by composer Errollyn Wallen manages to cover a massive range of
issues. It begins with two women sitting having a chat
about women in the past and women today. When one (Shin-Fei Chen)
naively says women today
And in a kaleidoscope journey the two women see
just how bad it can get. Scenes of prostitution sit next to drug
addiction, family murders are alongside girls on the run and addiction
nudges up to hopelessness. What is particularly depressing is that the women
don't even receive help from each other – we see 'friends' gossiping
maliciously and, in a particularly ominous classroom scene, girls vie to
claim the ambition of being 'famous'. It's a dark world that is being painted – and the
fact that all of the women are anonymous, sliding from one role to
another, aims to make this a universal truth.
Wallen's inspiration came from the Abbé Prevost
novel Manon Lescaut which has formed the basis of a number of plays and
operas. Working with Sampad South Asian Arts, she then interviewed girls
in local colleges and sex workers to bring the story up to date. And the fact that so many of these storylines and
much of the libretto came from those interviews makes this all the more
shocking. Is this really the life of women today? Performance are strong with sopranos Joanna
Foote, Sara Lian Owen and Claire Wild weaving the song and story along
with the two actors, all moving seamlessly from one tale to another.
There is also a powerful score played by musicians Stuart Wild, Joseph
Spooner and James Gambold. Directed by Wils Wilson, it may be short but Anon
certainly packs a punch. Staged in the Foyle Studio at mac, the space it
close and almost claustrophobic at times as the drama takes us into
tight spaces – physically, emotionally and mentally. It's not easy viewing but Anon certainly nails
its colours to the wall and is an important piece of modern theatre
which will hopefully be produced elsewhere in the future. Diane Parkes mac -
www.macarts.co.uk
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have
it easier, the other (Ronke Adekoluejo) is quick to contradict.