Tag Archives: Alex Harvey

TESS

★★★★

UK Tour

TESS

New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth

★★★★

“The direction is expertly crafted, ensuring that every movement and physical interaction serves a purpose”

Ockham’s Razor has achieved something extraordinary with Tess, a bold and breath-taking adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles that fuses theatre, movement, and contemporary circus to re-imagine Hardy’s 1891 tragic novel. Through inventive staging and visceral physicality, the company distils this tale of endurance, injustice, and resilience into something immediate and deeply affecting.

The story follows Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman from a poor rural family who is sent to seek kinship with the wealthy D’Urbervilles after her father learns of their supposed aristocratic lineage. There, she falls prey to the manipulative Alec D’Urberville, an event that alters her life forever. Seeking a fresh start, she later finds love with the idealistic Angel Clare, but when he learns of her past, his rejection leaves her struggling to survive in a world that offers her little compassion. As Tess fights against the rigid moral codes of Victorian society, she finds herself once more in Alec’s grasp, leading to a final desperate act that seals her fate.

The striking set design of shifting wooden planks, towering walls, and billowing linen is integral to the storytelling, creating a constantly evolving landscape that mirrors Tess’s emotional and physical journey. The performers interact seamlessly with their surroundings, swinging, climbing, and manipulating the set with an urgency that reflects her struggles. Production designer Tina Bicât keeps the staging simple yet evocative, while Aideen Malone’s lighting and Daniel Denton’s projections shift fluidly to enhance the ever-changing atmosphere.

The cast of seven deliver extraordinary performances, both physically and emotionally. Tess is portrayed by two performers: Lila Naruse, who serves as the narrator, recounting her story with a soft West Country lilt while slipping in and out of dialogue, and Anna Crichlow, who embodies Tess’s physical journey through movement, expressing her emotions with acrobatics and dance. Their dual performance is quietly powerful with one Tess speaking, while the other relives events with no ability to change them. A particularly moving moment comes when one Tess reaches out to hold the other’s hand in silent support, reinforcing the sense of inevitability that haunts her story.

The predatory Alec D’Urberville is played with an unsettling charisma by Joshua Frazer, while Angel Clare is brought to life with both idealism and naivety by Nat Whittingham, making his betrayal all the more painful. Both actors also take on ensemble roles, and particularly in Frazer’s case, it is striking to see how posture, movement, and a quick costume change transform him from one of Tess’s mischievous younger siblings into a predatory seducer.

Lauren Jamieson, Victoria Skillen, and Leah Wallings play multiple roles throughout, from the romping Durbeyfield children to barroom brawlers, but particularly shine in two comedic sequences as the trio of dairymaids vying for Angel’s attention.

The adaptation, by directors Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney, streamlines the novel’s plot while maintaining its emotional depth. Tess’s journey is strikingly depicted, for instance, her initial trip to the D’Urbervilles sees her navigating an intricate sequence of angled planks, with projected mountain ranges behind her emphasising the sheer scale of her world. This is later mirrored when she flees from Alec, retracing her route backwards, a breathtakingly choreographed sequence performed in reverse that heightens the sense of her desperation.

One of the production’s most visually powerful moments comes during Alec’s seduction of Tess, represented through a Cyr wheel routine. What starts as a peacocking display of skill becomes something darker as Alec lures Tess into his orbit, quite literally drawing her into his circle, trapping her. Their final encounter, which drives Tess to flee, is almost unseen, shrouded in darkness and accompanied by an unsettling soundscape. With one Tess watching helplessly as events unfold, reinforcing how ingeniously this dual portrayal captures the inevitability of her fate.

The direction is expertly crafted, ensuring that every movement and physical interaction serves a purpose. The integration of circus arts is not just for spectacle but a vital storytelling tool, making Tess’s struggles feel immediate and visceral. The music and sound design by Holly Khan further heighten the drama, weaving folk-inspired melodies with an atmospheric score that underscores Tess’s emotional journey. The costumes, designed by Bicât, balance historical authenticity with functionality, allowing the performers full range of movement while remaining firmly rooted in Hardy’s world.

This production masterfully transforms Hardy’s prose into something immediate and deeply affecting, distilling its themes of power, privilege, consent, and female agency (or lack thereof) in a way that still resonates today. Through bold direction, inventive staging, and an emotionally rich interpretation, Tess proves that even the darkest of literary classics can be re-imagined with breath-taking vitality.



TESS

New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 25th February 2025

by Ellen Cheshire

Photography by Kie Cummings

 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | ★★★★ | December 2024

 

Tess

Tess

Tess

Romeo & Juliet
★★★★

Katzpace

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet

Katzpace

Reviewed – 22nd July 2019

★★★★

 

“this talented young company knows when to change gear and transport us to the essence of Shakespeare’s words and emotions”

 

Brighton, 1964. Whitsun weekend becomes a landmark for an explosion of youth identity during riots between the tribal subcultures of mods and rockers. Setting the mood for Exploding Whale’s new version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, it encapsulates the pent-up teenage energy and passion which simmer under the surface, ready to boil over in rage or jealousy or love. It may be a timeless tragedy, but this production pinpoints an era of adolescent unrest and disobedience, clearly identifiable in its music and fashion.

As we sit on the beach in deckchairs, the two families appear. Dressed as expected, the use of colour gives them an added stylish unity – rockers in jeans and leathers with a touch of bright red, mods in fashionable black and purple. Detailed lighting and sound (Louis Caro) punctuate scenes and enhance the ambience. The first half lends itself well to its new environment with the initial street fight and the Montagues gate-crashing the Capulet’s party (cue for music) but it takes a while to tune into certain updated roles due to the mixture of accents and unforgiving acoustics, especially in the round. As the narrative is not always clear, we are initially drawn to the more accessible personalities and by the time they are at the Capulet’s, eyes are drawn to dancing partners, Mercutio and the Nurse. However, this is followed by a beautifully powerful balcony scene which seals the play’s integrity and tone. In the second half, with some arresting and intrepid acting, it is the core of Shakespeare’s story which takes over from the 60s landscape until, towards the end, only the music reminds us where we are.

Ben Woodhall’s direction is an original but astute understanding of the script; there are novel takes on the characters, inventive staging and well-shaped dynamic flow. Teddy Morris plays a very real Romeo with a combination of sentiment and honesty which, coupled with Bebe Barry’s shining yet intense innocence as Juliet, gives a fresh and truly moving performance of a classic moment. In supporting roles, Billy Dunmore’s excellent portrayal as Mercutio is immediately charming as the fun best friend but equally bitter as he lies dying; Alex Harvey (Tybalt) brings a raw aggressive presence, Joe Bonfield gives Friar Laurence a contrasting solemnity and in a somewhat fishwife version of the Nurse, Lily Smith creates an interesting and vivid new persona.

With its own youthful energy, Exploding Whale succeeds in presenting an enjoyable and fully-fledged ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Yes, the show does have its foot-tapping moments as promised, but this talented young company knows when to change gear and transport us to the essence of Shakespeare’s words and emotions.

 

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

Photography courtesy Exploding Whale

 


Romeo and Juliet

Katzpace until 30th July 2019

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Obsession | ★★★ | June 2018
Let’s Get Lost | ★★★ | July 2018
Serve Cold | ★★ | August 2018
Much Ado About Nothing | ★★★★ | October 2018
Motherhood or Madness | ★★★ | November 2018
Specky Ginger C*nt | ★★½ | November 2018
Dead Reckoning | ★★½ | May 2019
Everything Today Is The Same | ★★★ | May 2019
Fight. Flight. Freeze. Fuck. | ★★★ | May 2019
You’re Dead Mate | ★★★★ | June 2019

 

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