Written by: Peeny (@AdamPeeny)Where's Peen been?
Southwark Playhouse, London
Was Peen keen?
***
Anya Reiss is arguably one of the most
exciting new British playwrights, so it seems appropriate that she be the one
to put a fresh spin on one of Chekhov’s masterpieces. It’s an enjoyable
production that never quite takes flight; and at times, it comes close to a
crash landing.
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| Photo: Ben Carpenter |
As expected, it’s been modernised;
Arkadina, a successful actress (expertly played by Sasha Waddell) has come to
visit her brother – away from the City of London – Sorin (Malcolm Tierney) at
his estate, making the local residents feel somewhat inferior on the basis of
fulfillment. Hey son, Konstantin, has penned a play that he wants to show and
by doing so, inflicts on his own pride and confidence. Regrettably, Reiss’ spin
on this well-known play isn’t quite strong enough and at times fails to engage
the audience that surrounds them.
 |
| Photo: Ben Carpenter |
Waddell and Tierney are simply superb and
deservedly steal the show. We’re presented with a wonderful array of characters
but the potential outshines reality and sadly, they’re all a bit dry. There is
very little excitement in the way of design, which especially in a Chekhov
play, could be forgiven if gob-smacking performances were being delivered
consistently. The lack of energy and medium-sized performance space makes
things feel slightly claustrophobic, and I think some of the performance would
have benefitted from different ideas than those of the director, Russell Bolam.
Thankfully, there are some moments of
beauty that give the performance a second life. There are moments of hilarity, and the relationships between the
characters, especially Arkadina and Konstantin, are strong and most loveable:
we find ourselves hooked even in pure silence in one of the most affectionate
scenes. When the characters are likeable, they’re very likeable; but not all of
them were grasped with the tenderness that they demand. Trigorin, on that note,
seemed more self-indulgent than evoking any sympathy at all.
Though this production might not deliver
what you expect or desire, it’s absolutely worth a watch: it’ll be the topic of
discussion for quite some time. There is a lot of substance, but this time,
Reiss and her colleagues may have bitten off a tiny bit more than they can chew.
This production runs until 1 December 2012.
For more information: http://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/main-house/the-seagull-2/
@swkplay
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