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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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New look at an old story
Tomos frater as Frank Churchill Emma Sutton Arts Theatre ***** SUTTON ARTS
continue their policy of imaginative programming by presenting this
production of Emma,
an adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel. Such adaptations can be problematic. Aficionados
of the novel can be critical of what is inevitably omitted, those new to
the story may have to pedal hard initially to catch up with the
cognoscenti. Martin Millar and Doon Mackichan's adaptation
boldly eschews 19th century affectation for a more modern
approach, which is initially disconcerting, but which works very well
indeed. The dialogue is sharp, wry and funny, retaining a
sense of authenticity to the original text. The stage directions require two actors to play
dual gender roles, which poses particular challenges of credibility and
conviction when played straight. In this production the director and
cast do well, but as a feature of the adaptation, it is an unnecessary
flaw. Emma is a romantic comedy of manners.
The play is character, rather than narrative, driven, nothing
substantial happens. Director Ian Appleby understands this well, with
his shrewd casting and bouncy produ
The nieces, played by Suzy Donnely, Bhupinder Dhamu, Hayley
Leaver and Louise Farmer who play their part as prospective wives The plot portrays Emma, a beautiful and clever
young woman who prides herself on her matchmaking ability. She is
preoccupied with romance yet is oblivious to her own feelings of love.
When she takes on a young friend, Harriett, as her latest project, her
well-intentioned efforts misfire, leading to a whirlwind of
complications amongst wonderfully eccentric characters from Jane
Austen's little England. The original story is reinvented in the 21st
century as posh chick lit, casting its spell ; part sit- com, part
rom–com. All the drama takes place using a single set,
suiting it well to the stage. The set mainly comprises giant bookends of
notable Austin novels as pillars, and a stage perimeter littered with
books, creating a scene akin to the aftermath of a junior school class
visit to the children's section of the local library. It made its point
well, this is a play about words. The star of the show is Michelle Dawes in the
lead role of Emma Woodhouse. Played as an upmarket, skittish, aesthete,
with panache and brio, she delivers a commanding performance which set
the bar high for those around her. Speaking of the novel, Austen herself
described the character as; “a heroine whom no-one but myself will much
like”. As a play, however, there is little evidence of much to dislike
about the character at all with plenty of comic asides. She delivers the
line, “length isn't everything”, with a twinkle in her eye, and has
great fun affecting outrage at the lascivious advances of Mr Elton in a
carriage. Richard Aucott plays both Emma's love interest Mr
Elton, and her father, with commendable restraint, making the most of
the parts, whilst allowing those around him to shine and flourish, a
walking stick and a stoop instantly distinguishing the two characters.
Anne Deakin has the most demanding task of the night, also playing two
principal parts, but with the complication that she has to play both the
female Jane Austin as narrator, and the male Mr Knightley, Emma's other
love interest. The staging is much less forgiving to these two roles
with a shawl, and a change in vocal pitch, effecting the change in
character whilst both parts are on stage simultaneously. Anne is more
than up to the challenge, making a stylish and raffish male in high
heeled boots and frock coat. A chorus of four nieces, who double up as sundry
prospective wives, is a particular feature of the play. At the start
they tumbled onto the stage like a girl pop band to perform a rap number
to ragged dance moves bedecked in dresses, white plimsolls, multi
coloured socks, and tinted sunglasses in an opening designed to make
clear that this show is not going to be a staid costume drama.
Music plays an important part in the show with
reprises of The Jackson Fives' “ABC”, and most bizarrely of all
the Prodigy's “I am a Firestarter” appearing later on,
continuing the remit of taking the story out of an overtly period
setting. The second act also includes a series of dances which
entertains and delights. Curiously the staging does not allow for the
cast to change for the dancing which strikes me as a missed opportunity
for some extra visual pizzazz. The traditional dances themselves are
well executed and a useful counterpoint to the frenetic activity of the
first act. Each niece brings a gloriously idiosyncratic
character alive. Louise Farmer, as Miss Bates, hams things up
wonderfully with her breathless, dozens of words per second, speech,
Suzy Donnelly, as Harriett Smith, laments her misfortunes with an angst
ridden excess that any teenager would be proud of. Hayley Leaver, as
Jane Fairfax, romps through a mimed soprano performance, whilst
Bhupinder Dhamu showed impressive versatility alternating from soppy
niece to sophisticated wife in the time it took to put on a scarf. The story, and production, is unashamedly female
dominated. Tomos Frater, as Frank Churchill, has little to do other than
strut, and look good, which he does rather well. Libby Allport plays no
fewer than four minor roles, including a man, in an object lesson of how
to act and make the most of modest parts that nonetheless are crucial to
the plot. This was as good an opening night performance as
I have seen by Sutton Arts Theatre, setting quite a standard for the run
which finishes on Saturday 11th May. The cast was
demonstrably enjoying itself and that communicated itself to an
appreciative opening night audience. Exuberant, boisterous and
confident, Director Ian Appleby has done a fine job combining song,
dance and comedy in a production which delights from start to finish. To
11-05-13.
Gary Longden For tickets www.suttonartstheatre.co.uk Sutton Arts Theatre's next production is Neil Simon's “Laughter on the 23rd Floor”, 20th June- 29th 2013 |
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ction.
The story unfolds as a dance. Characters form pairs, move together,
separate, and move on, a dynamic which is shrewdly exploited in this
production. A bench upon which characters sit, shuffle, and reposition
themselves with great regularity, neatly symbolises that movement.