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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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Two sides of a nightmare
Rob Phillips as John and
Aimée Hall as Carol in David Mamet's
Oleanna Oleanna Highbury Players Highbury Theatre Centre Studio **** THE novelist William S Burroughs once said that `Sometimes Paranoia's just having all the facts.' If you view our new age
of political correctness or the `Nanny State' as a blessing or a form of
social madness, then Oleanna by David Mamet won't help settle your
argument one way or the other. Mamet once said that `Theatre throws down a
gauntlet that challenges everyone to do better.' So did the Highbury
Players rise to that, well let's examine the evidence? A young student, Carol, struggling in her
education meets alone with a university professor to discuss her failing
grades. She becomes increasingly distraught and in an
effort to comfort her, he assures her verbally that things can be
improved and lays a comforting arm around her shoulder. However later she interprets his entire actions
differently and deems them inappropriate and so sets a course of action
to a powerful, tragic ending. Did she get it wrong, did we miss something? It's
hard to judge as Mamet blatantly avoids any real character history, so
all you have is what you witness, the facts so far, and each of the two
character's differing view of what transpired. Handling the mammoth task of John the University
Professor is Rob Phillips who effectively crumbles from indifferent
confidence into despair and then rage over the course of the play.
Looking every bit a Geoffrey Rush at times his descent to his final
demise was nicely judged.
Aimée Hall in her first major role positively
glowed as the student Carol, covering every emotion from the nervous
dumfounded victim to manipulative teen, spitting bullets. Having played
a good many comical roles locally, this production showcased her obvious
dramatic range. Holding the judgmental balance is director Sandra
Haynes who skillfully allows the proceedings to unfold without any
degree of preferential colour. It's good to see The Highbury Players tackling
such a complex piece and definitely worth seeing as it's a gripping
piece of theatre that, in the studio space, puts you right in amongst
the action. Some critics suggest wrongly that this play is
irrelevant to our times and we have moved on. However through the use of
mobile phone video it's been proven on numerous occasions that in some
cases, we have not and we all know that now , unlike back in the 90s,
the consequences of acting inappropriately can end up on the world stage
in a matter of seconds. Jeff Grant |
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