Review of Chekhov's Farces
 | "Chekhov's outrageous audience pleasing farces" by Aline Waites for remotegoat on 06/05/08 |  |
At the Lion and Unicorn Theatre - every Fri, Sat and Sun at 4.pm until May 25th
As part of the Chekhov season at the Lion and Unicorn, Act Provocateur International are presenting a selection of farces, written by the master when he was studying at medical school in order to eke out a living for his family.
Victor Sobchak, artistic director and co-founder of the company can always be relied upon to come up with something different and these short plays - or revue sketches - are nothing like the thoughtful, sensitive comedies and subtle characterisations of the playwright's heyday. This is the first time they have been played on stage and will probably never be seen again. They are outrageous farces, indicative of an adolescent sense of humour.
The ten plays have all been assembled into revue format and follow each other at breakneck speed, with the cast of seven performing miracles of costume, accent and character changes. The first takes place on the 50th anniversary of a bank with Leander Pittis dressed with only combinations under his greatcoat as a grumpy Russian accountant who hates women and George Sallis in a neat blue suit as the Chairman who loves them too much. Nika Khitrova, as the Chairman's wife arrives unexpectedly wearing a short red skirt, a ridiculously huge ostrich feather on her head waving in the air and the artificial skin of some unknown animal around her shoulders. This causes a certain amount of stress exacerbated by the appearance of Karen Rydings as a distraught and violent customer demanding money. It all ends in a traditional chase.
In other episodes there is a German model called Brunhilda who refuses to pose in the nude; an argument between a Frenchman and a Russian who hate each other until they realise they both hate the English even more; a lecherous director who mendaciously promises his lover the role of Ophelia; a girl who applies for a job, but turns out to be too honest and the whole show culminates with Alice Fernbank as Olga a much married diva whose husbands die in quick succession. The various husbands are played in heavy disguise by aforementioned members of the company, and Lucie Howard is the androgynous bearer of the bad news as well as the funeral arranger.
There is an awful lot to grasp hold of - too much - but all is riotous and fun. The actors, multicultural, multinational, multilingual all seem to be having a wonderful time and their infectious enjoyment transmits itself to the audience.
This is a jolly way to spend a weekend afternoon - it would be wise to book as, apparently, so many other people feel the same way!
ALINE WAITES
| Event Venues & Times | |
| finished | The Lion and Unicorn | 42-44 Gaisford Street, Kentish Town, London, NW5 2ED |
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