Tag Archives: Southwark Playhouse

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Gods and Monsters, Southwark Playhouse

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Gods and Monsters, based on Christopher Bram’s novel Father Of Frankenstein, tells the story of James Whale, the director of Show Boat, Journey’s End and classic horror films Frankenstein and Bride Of Frankenstein. Following a series of strokes, he is living out his final days in solitude and torment, with his once-sharp mind increasingly clouded with nostalgia and confusion.

His sexual desires now rule what is left of his mind, and lusty exchanges with a young film student interviewer land him in hospital again. Cooped up with his housekeeper Maria, and cut off from society, his life changes when he attempts to manufacture a friendship with the ruggedly handsome gardener Clayton Boone, who agrees to have his portrait drawn by Whale. It is from this moment on that events begin to quicken and spiral.

Ian Gelder’s performance as Whale is astonishing, expertly capturing the full range of emotions felt by a fading elder statesman. Bluster competes against frailty, with gallows humour punctuating the frustration and resignation of a man living his final days.

His interplay with fiercely religious Maria, played by Lachele Carl, show glimpses of his previous mental agility, and Maria’s unshakeable conviction that “Mister Jimmy” is bound irrevocably for hell mixes with a maternal tolerance of his vices, leading to a complex dynamic which brings its fair share of humour to an otherwise dark subject matter.

Will Austin, playing Boone, the muscle-bound object of Whale’s desire, delivers a nuanced performance of a simple hometown boy faced with an exotic unknown of Whale’s sexuality, which he struggles to reconcile with their friendship. His physical likeness to the Monster about which Whale wrote so movingly must not be by accident, and adds another layer to the author’s lusting.

Throughout the drama, Whale is tormented by flashbacks of significant events of his youth, from Dudley to the Trenches of the Great War, both involving innocent infatuations. These weave in and out of the present-day action on stage, brought to life by Joey Phillips and Will Rastell. These two actors also play Whale’s doctor and Kay, the film student, and their skill and sensitivity make Whale’s decline all the more heart breaking, as he contemplates a past that seems as real as anything, but that only he can see.

The staging at the Southwark Playhouse is such that as an audience one practically spills down into the stage from three sides, and as such creates an experience at times intimate and occasionally intrusive, as we witness the slow unravelling of a creative genius faced with the slow demise of his very identity. I advise you to catch it while you can, with its delicate consideration of universally applicable themes.

Continues at Southwark Playhouse until 7 March, book tickets here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

Titanic the musical, Southwark Playhouse

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It was my first visit to the temporary, new location of Southwark Playhouse… despite it’s convenient location moments away from Elephant & Castle tube station, I was running seriously late. Sweating and panting, I squeezed into an empty seat in the packed auditorium. I had no idea what to expect.

The cast exploded onto the stage, belting out in big, passionate voices, striding about keen to convey their message. This somewhat barren theatre suddenly glowed with life and enthusiasm. Titanic is a bold musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston adapted from a book by Peter Stone. When it opened on Broadway in 1997, although a lavish and large production it was a commercial flop despite winning five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical. Here, Thom Southerland’s production is rather more minimal with a sparse set and few props.

We watch how this great ship thrills or disappoints individual characters of different ages and circumstances. Young lovers, middle class couples, and perhaps most touching (and convincing), the elderly couple Mr and Mrs Strauss who stick together until the end. The music reminded me immediately of Les Miserables, with big emotion and vigour. The cast rise to the challenge and the ensemble sound is particularly impressive. Southerland’s direction is of the highest quality creating a show which paints this terrible tale with conviction and courage.

Cementing this important historical moment in the great American songbook, Maury Yeston’s version of Titanic is a triumph and a must for all musical theatre fans.

Titantic continues until 31 August, book here.

southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/the-large/titanic

The Seagull, Southwark Playhouse

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Chekhov is so exact in his expressions and yet his plays are wide open to interpretation. In the opening moments of the current Southwark Playhouse production I found myself wondering when I’d last seen “The Seagull”, arguably the most famous and familiar play from this great Russian playwright. And although I soon recollected it had been at Oxford University, a student production, the mood and vision of this very distinct play had then been entirely different.

This is a new and ultra-fresh version by Anya Reiss, the Royal Court’s most promising young writer. Watching this complex play I felt ashamed that at twenty-four, I struggle with so many of Chekhov’s innuendos and yet Anya, of a similar age to me, is able to fully interpret the Russian text, modernising the story and injecting it with attitude and zest.

The cast has obviously gelled well and the central protagonists; Joseph Drake as Konstantin and Lily James as Nina show particular teamwork and natural chemistry on stage together, which help make the production instantly believable. A graduate of Guildhall’s tough post-graduate acting course, James is addictive to watch, dancing around the stage, coquettishly fiddling with her dress whilst smiling endearingly with innocent eyes. Drake is impulsive and dramatic as the young Konstantin desperate to be taken seriously, he plays this complex role with insight and intuition. Matthew Kelly is also surprisingly good, and only a little too camp as Dorn, and Anthony Howell makes an appropriately icy and isolated Trigorin.

The Seagull is a tale of unrequited love and anguish, and the script needs little else to succeed. Jean Chan’s set is simple but effective with the characters rearranging the minimal props and furniture for each scene. Russell Bolam’s direction seems to bring the best out of the cast who respond naturally and intelligently throughout. It runs with great fluency and I found my concentration remained focused.

This Southwark creative team revive this classic Chekhov with charm and spirit, offering a touching account of Anya Reiss’s relevant and refreshing new interpretation.

http://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/archives/the-seagull-2/