|
|
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
Let's do the twist Deathtrap Highbury Theatre Centre **** THE IMBd website states Ira Levin's
trademark as being `Far-fetched plot twists and clever storylines'.
Levin who died in 2007 certainly left an impressive legacy of surreal
and intense writing both in novel and drama form, such as the Stepford
Wives and Rosemary's Baby, and this play is no exception. Deathtrap is a `Russian doll' kind of a story and
it's possible that you may have seen the film version with Michael Caine
and a young Christopher Reeve. It was originally written as a play and
for me works better in the theatre as the mechanics within the plot are
ironic and very clever. Sidney Bruhl is a successful playwright but
bereft of a recent hit. He seemingly becomes the associate of a young
student and playwright but after a startling opening to their working
relationship the pair drift back and forth between suspicion and
possible lies. They take the audience along with them until you
eventually and genuinely don't know what will happen next. The young man goes to stay with his mentor to
write a new work and we come to find out that the play he is writing is
the play we are watching. This is cleverly retold right down to how we
the audience have reacted up to a certain point. Bruhl is played by Richard Irons and this central
part is no light undertaking (no pun intended). Overall he handles the
weight of the role with style but at times lacked a certain cruel energy
that a scheming, successful but jealous, creative older man might have
for a talented student. His best moments come when he faces his younger
rival but throughout did really well to describe the myriad of twists
and red herrings.
That younger rival is student writer Clifford
Anderson played confidently by newcomer Jack Hobbis. Hobbis is a welcome
addition and something of a find to the Highbury team as his performance
was fresh and had a real edge to it. Irons and Hobbis were a solid and
believable pairing and I will look forward to seeing Mr Hobbis in future
productions. Gwen Evans played Myra , Sidney's wife and
although physically not a genuine opposite to Mr irons she injected some
real emotion when one particularly gruesome act came about, controlling
her potential hysteria under the guise of real shock, before becoming a
victim herself. Helga ten Dorp played by Marcelle Burnhope is the
dotty psychic neighbour and Reg Tolley took on the supporting role of
Porter Milgrim, Bruhls legal advisor. Both completed their task with
flair. Directed by Hazel Tolley the production was
nicely balanced and the addition of a few well-placed soundtracks added
nicely to the atmosphere. It can be the case in amateur theatre that it is
the play that gets murdered but on this night the players presented an
excellent and at times `shocking' evening's entertainment in the best
sense of the word. One general footnote I would add is that
Theatres need to start repeating the ‘Mobile phones to be switched off
‘message again after an interval. It seems many weak souls can't resist
switching them back on during the break. One lady actually took a call
at the start of the play then received two text messages during the
second act and if that is not a motive for a theatrical murder then I
don't what is. Jeff Grant |
|
|
|