Tag Archives: Ben Kernow

THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY

★★★

Southwark Playhouse Borough

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THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY

Southwark Playhouse Borough

★★★

“a high-spirited affair that the cast dive into with relish, commitment and enviable energy”

Gustave Flaubert, the champion of realism, spent five years writing “Madame Bovary” only to find himself charged with immorality. Thankfully he was later acquitted, and the notoriety that the trial provoked accelerated the novel’s rise to bestseller status. It is now considered Flaubert’s masterpiece; one that maintains its revered place in literature (its influences have reached the likes of Marcel Proust, Virginia Woolf and James Joyce). Okay, the novel was a touch bleak, to say the least, and we all know that it ends in tragedy. John Nicholson might be exaggerating the magnitude of the misery by prefixing his retelling of the story with the word ‘massive’. And he might be missing the point by unashamedly turning it into a farcical comedy. By his own admission, Nicholson has ‘lovingly derailed’ the story. Interpret that how you will. After all, theatre is all about free expression, and this play is very free with it.

The story of the cuckolded country doctor and his frustrated, pleasure-seeking wife is turned on its head as it wields its slapstick and wry exposition with such force that the fourth wall has no chance of standing. Even a sabotaged attempt at changing the ending is allowed into the edit. The result is a stew of French and Saunders, Blackadder and Upstart Crow, with a generous side order of pantomime. It is a high-spirited affair that the cast dive into with relish, commitment and enviable energy. Georgia Nicholson, as the ruffled Madame Bovary seeking amorous adventure, is surrounded by the whirlwind threesome of Stephen Cavanagh, Ben Kernow and Darren Seed who play at least a couple of dozen other characters. The story begins at the end with Madame Bovary recounting her life story to a pair of ratcatchers who have arrived in the village of Yonville. At times it is almost like a speed run. A ‘Potted Panto’ performed by ‘The Reduced Flaubert Company’.

Buried deep in the silliness are strokes of ingenuity. Kirstie Davis’ staging is slick and precise. Beneath the mayhem there is a reliance on accuracy of movement and timing, which the actors are well practiced at. Grace Murdoch’s movement and choreography is an extended conjuring trick, albeit one that seems to have wandered in from the set of ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’. Like the jokes, the influences are manifold, and the bawdy humour does become relentless and predictable. Nevertheless, the versatility of each performer shines through as they switch characters and costume at lightning speed.

You cannot help but admire the irreverence. Their approach to Flaubert’s text is embodied when, at one point, one of the ratcatchers exclaims “you took the words out of my mouth… but in a different order… and with different words”. There is a clear echo of Eric Morecambe’s famous line brilliantly delivered to André Previn. The bravery of this company matches its tongue-in-cheek audacity. In his mausoleum in Rouen, I’m sure Flaubert must be grinning, even if it can’t quite conceal an expression of open-mouthed bemusement. Over in Southwark, the audience seem to be of a similar opinion. Between moments of bewilderment the laughs come thick and fast (though as a grin rather than the out-loud variety) in this risqué, eccentric and anarchic comedy.

 


THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY at Southwark Playhouse Borough

Reviewed on 9th December 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Tanya Pabaru

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Previously reviewed at Southwark Playhouse venues:

THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH | ★★★★★ | November 2024
[TITLE OF SHOW] | ★★★ | November 2024
THE UNGODLY | ★★★ | October 2024
FOREVERLAND | ★★★★ | October 2024
JULIUS CAESAR | ★★★ | September 2024
DORIAN: THE MUSICAL | ★★½ | July 2024
THE BLEEDING TREE | ★★★★ | June 2024
FUN AT THE BEACH ROMP-BOMP-A-LOMP!! | ★★★ | May 2024
MAY 35th | ★★★½ | May 2024
SAPPHO | ★★ | May 2024
CAPTAIN AMAZING | ★★★★★ | May 2024
WHY I STUCK A FLARE UP MY ARSE FOR ENGLAND | ★★★★★ | April 2024

THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY

THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY

 

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Grimm’s Fairy Tales – 2 Stars

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Fairy

Grimm’s Fairy Tales

White Bear Theatre

Reviewed – 5th April 2018

★★

“they stray from the source material even further than Gretel wanders away from her path through the woods”

 

Once upon a time, two centuries ago, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm set out to gather folk stories for posterity. Little did they know that the collection of tales they published would become one of the most widely read works in history, capturing the popular imagination around the world for generations. Among the countless interpretations there have been there is a new, inventive theatre company that are adding their own twist in their rather unadventurously titled “Grimm’s Fairy Tales”.

Hansel is kept captive in the wicked witch’s house as she fattens him up. Gretel cannot save him on her own, so she goes in search of a man who can. On her journey through the forest she meets some very oddball individuals, very loosely based on the characters created by the two brothers.

For three nights only, Ha-Hum-Ah Theatre bring this re-imagining of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales to the White Bear Theatre. Drawing on some of the more obscure stories; such as ‘Cat and Mouse in Partnership’, ‘The Fisherman and his Wife’, ‘The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage’ and ‘The Brave Little Tailor’ among others, they aim to add a contemporary and comedic layer to the stories. In doing so they stray from the source material even further than Gretel wanders away from her path through the woods. It’s a bit of a whirlwind walkabout with too many confusing references that in the end we can’t see the wood for the trees.

The company have great ambition and there are some strong traces of originality evident, but it seems that they have not yet found their audience. The exaggerated performances that border on pantomime seem to be aimed at the CBBC crowd, yet the smattering of expletives thrown into the text come across as a rather weak hook to snare the late-night theatre goer. Though there is no denying the energy of the cast of four who take on the multiple roles. They wittily incorporate the logistical difficulties and the low budget limitations into the action. And there is a real team spirit among the four actors on stage that is vaguely infectious.

The meanderings of Ben Kernow’s script are interspersed with songs by Dan Bottomley. While containing sharp-witted lyrics they are sorely let down by the pre-recorded backing tracks that accompany them. But the addition of music reinforces the suspicion that this show doesn’t quite know what it is yet. Is this a comedy? Is it a musical? Fewer ingredients thrown into the witch’s brew would make for a clearer picture.

There is a very funny, and unexpected, punchline though, but like a shaggy dog story, it is a bit of a trek to get there. Whether that journey is worth it is up to the listener. As the old adage goes; it’s the way you tell ‘em.

 

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Ben Kernow

 


Grimm’s Fairy Tales

White Bear Theatre until 7th April

 

 

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