|
|
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
Three into one is just absurd Absurd Person Singular
Highbury Theatre Centre
*** ALAN Ayckbourn is perhaps, just for
aggregate play volume alone, the master of collecting the class traits
of the British Character and dropping them into a pool of seemingly
everyday situations that effectively result in ever widening ripples of
chaos. Absurd Person Singular is perhaps the most
cartoon like of them all and represents what seemed to be a trend in in
the mid-seventies for surreal situation comedy. The play was first
staged in 1974 and then with the likes of Fawlty Towers appearing in
1975, it all marked a fashionable era of examining the collapse of
social differences in Britain through comedy. Ayckbourn here decides to depict the landscape
of social change through the eyes of three couples who meet up for
drinks on Christmas Eve over three consecutive years. The fact all of these relationships are defined
by the state of their kitchens, which is where each of the respective
three acts take place, is again an attempt to reflect the state of their
personal situations. First we have Jane and Sidney played by Louise
Famer and Richard Cogzell set in their pristine white complete with
all-mod-cons kitchen on the first Christmas eve. The pair made a very
convincing couple nervously awaiting the arrival of their guests as
Sidney has plans to property develop and the so the evening is not all
about socialising. First to arrive there is Ronald and Marion played
by David Weller and Denise Phillips. Ronald is a typical fastidious bank
manager. His wife Marion, the socialite, pokes fun at their host’s
ambitions with an air of snobbery through an ever full glass of gin. In
act three we find them in their Kitchen which is a cold and miserly
place. Finally we have Eva and Geoffrey played by Izzy
Richards and Mark Mulkeen. Eva is an odd bod Bohemian free spirit and
Geoffrey the struggling Architect who has more designs for the women
than he does for his clients’ projects. Their kitchen is the setting for
the second act and is messy, dirty and broken down. The play though has massive inconsistencies in
the character’s development and the fact that a year passes between each
act makes it hard to grasp how each of their fates have been arrived at.
Eva is probably the most difficult to understand as in the first act she
is a glamorous strange individual dependent on medication. In the next
year she is a mute wreck attempting multiple suicides over the news her
husbands is leaving. Then in the third year, she is still with him and
more of a normal, if not bitter wife but a supportive friend of Marion
who has been slowly descending into bedridden alcoholism. It is these character swings, that while they add
to the comedy, make it difficult for the cast to gain any complete
purchase on their character in a way that effectively describes either
their rise or fall in the social standing across the years. Thankfully
what is lost in emotional detail was rescued with the humour and the
absurd visual chaos that ends every act had the audience laughing out
loud. Absurd is a seasonal favourite with its Christmas
theme and this production, skilfully directed by Rob Philips, is great
fun in reflecting the intensity of season. However as we all know; as
the family sprit and tension increases in many a household at that time
of the year, don’t be surprised if the absurdity you see on stage is
possibly nothing compared to your own experience. To 14-02-15. Jeff Grant
04-02-15 |
|
|
|