“There is a raw Python-esque quality – with an infectious sense of fun”
Everybody has heard of, if not actually read, the Victorian comic novel, “The Diary of a Nobody”. Like many a classic that has stood the test of time it was a slow burner, but managed to transcend its initial tepid reception, eventually being heralded by Evelyn Waugh as “the funniest book in the world”. Such an accolade is debatable, yet, along with the seemingly pedestrian subject matter of the novel, it is a brave choice to adapt it for the stage in the twenty-first century. ‘Rough Haired Pointer’ admirably pulls this off with this second outing of the piece at the King’s Head Theatre. What the inventive theatre company does extraordinarily well is retain the essence of the novel and its period, while seamlessly shaping it with their own personalities. The resulting mix of self-deprecation and irreverence yields a rich contemporary feel; a kind of satire of a satire.
The diaries centre around the fictional author, Charles Pooter, a man of modest ambitions, content with his humdrum life. Yet he is constantly troubled by disagreeable tradesmen, impertinent young office clerks and wayward friends, not to mention his devil-may-care son Lupin with his unsuitable choice of bride. Jake Curran captures the bumbling, absurd, yet ultimately endearing character of Pooter perfectly. Pages of the original text are condensed into a ‘blink-and-you-miss-it’ facial expression or a perfectly timed pause, conveying the underlying astonishment at his own banality.
Mary Franklin, who directs, clearly has an eye for casting. All four of the all-male troupe are excellent in their roles, often taking on multiple personalities. Interestingly, this idea was accidental: the loss of the sole actress due to an emergency after the opening night left the original production with an all-male cast performing all the characters. I don’t know if these four actors were in the original show, but onstage they betray a longstanding camaraderie that is a joy to watch. There is a raw Python-esque quality – with an infectious sense of fun. Jordan Mallory-Skinner plays Pooter’s long-suffering wife with a deadpan quality that illustrates her irritation to her husband to great effect, there is a touch of the young Michael Palin about Loz Keystone’s Lupin and Geordie Wright’s versatility is a roller coaster ride of multiple roles.
Christopher Hone’s ingenious design is almost like a fifth character in the show. Based on the original black and white illustrations from the diaries, the set and costume add surrealism to the action, giving license for the cast to drift into the realms of cartoon, sometimes becoming part of the set themselves, and sometimes stepping out of the set to break the fourth wall.
Like the set, the show does have the overall feel of a sketch however. This is perhaps my only reservation, in that it could benefit from being condensed. But it is a very minor quibble. What sets this show apart from many contemporary comedies is the self-effacing knowledge that it is all just play acting, and the performers embrace this with a great spirit of mischief. They are clearly having a ball. And so are the audience.
Despite being spun just a little too thin, this show is pure gold.
“I was stunned to see how extremely involved every single viewer was.”
If opera for you is a theatre dripping in gold, a huge symphony orchestra and a grand production, you might find yourself uncomfortable watching Tosca in the King’s Head Theatre. But If you are tired of sitting at the top of the amphitheatre in Covent Garden and you are craving to see the real human expression of this musical masterpiece, you should definitely see this emotional, and well thought through adaptation. To truly enjoy the new English production by Becca Marriott and Adam Spreadbury-Maher, you will need to leave all the snobbery aside. It is a spectacle that is meant to be intimate, straight-forward and sincere yet wonderfully ambitious.
The curiosity of the evening was of course the completely new production itself. Now set in Paris in 1944, it carried us to the world at war and Nazi tyranny. This was naturally suited to the original story of romance, sacrifice, and tragic death. The characters of Tosca, her beloved Cavaradain (originally Cavaradossi), and the villainous Scarpia stayed unchanged. Jacob Cohen, a Jewish London bus driver before the war, replaced the character of Cesare Angelotti. Spoletta/Sciarrone was given a name of Alexandre Villaplane, a French football player who was later executed for his collaborations with the Nazis.
The small cast had a far from easy task. Contending with the extremely dry acoustics, a small set consisting mainly a table and a painting and the close proximity of the audience, they needed to deliver one of the most popular operas of all times. If the reaction of the audience can determine the level of success, the cast should feel extremely proud. I was stunned to see how extremely involved every single viewer was. There was a lot less clapping and cheering than one experiences in big opera houses. This was no vanity fair of big arias and high notes, the singers and producers had made a clear attempt to transform the opera into a real theatrical experience. Even the small instrumental ensemble helped establish the organic character of the show, although the quality of the arrangement and the subtlety of the performance had a lot of room to improve.
Momentarily, it was amusing how this great old classic now somewhat resembled a musical; the piano accompaniment, the English dialogue, and the not entirely consistent quality of singing, acting, and playing. The great Becca Marriott as Tosca was the star of the evening. Roger Paterson as Cavaradain sounded a bit unrefined until the famous aria E lucevan le stelle, when he reached a remarkable warmth in his voice. Michael Georgious’ voice and acting abilities did not suit the evil and imperious character of Scarpia, which was a shame as Puccini is believed to have said that to be performed successfully, this character needs both a very decent singer and a fantastic actor.
This new version of Puccini’s classic made it so easy for us to relate to the characters. How appropriate to sit in a small bunker-like theatre, watching a spectacle about war, love, and torture. Although there were some important elements that could definitely be refined, I would be keen to see more of such ambitious productions from this team. I hope their efforts will attract more great singers and instrumentalists who don’t usually imagine small theatres as their dream-destination. The King’s Head Theatre takes pride in its avant-garde shows and fair treatment of artists. They should now take pride in bringing a great operatic work back into the everyday thoughts of all their audience.
