CASTING THE RUNES at the Pleasance Theatre
★★★
“delightfully theatrical”
This ambitious M R James adaptation uses puppetry and carefully considered staging to build a spooky gothic tale.
It is densely plotted. Edward Dunning, a university lecturer, famously sceptical of the occult, comes afoul of a sinister mystical enthusiast, Mr Karswell. With the help of Rebecca Harrington, whose brother has already fallen prey to Karswell’s ominous wrath, Dunning must attempt to break away from Karswell’s curse.
Performed by Noel Byrne and Antonia Christophers and directed by Adam Lenson, this show is delightfully theatrical. Most of the characters are played by puppets, made by the company, and Karswell as a floating cloaked figure, is definitely sinister. It might’ve worked as well without some of the puppets, and with Christophers just multi-rolling, but the puppets do add a theatrical flavour.
“it is difficult to build the atmosphere needed for a true gothic thriller”
The staging is beautifully thought out. Street lamps are moved about to create different spaces, and switched on and off as the performers move under them. Screens are folded down into chairs and tables, and several trunks become chairs, tables, briefcases. It is a cleverly realised set, which works well for this touring company. It is impressive to build the world as clearly as they do, with as little as they use.
Composer Dan Melrose’s music is in keeping with the tone and themes, and the final piece is surprisingly catchy. The music and sound design which uses scratching and muttering to build tension, also help to create the intricate world of the play.
The problem is with the script, and the plot. There are a lot of characters, and tenuous motives, convenient encounters and it is all a little predictable. One especially credulous student, a puppet, provides wincingly expositional context throughout. I am fond of M R James, and have huge respect for this show for attempting to adapt his work, but it is difficult to build the atmosphere needed for a true gothic thriller, both in a theatre context, and in a modern context where much of it feels familiar and predictable.
This is a brave and theatrical production, and it is exciting to see puppetry for adults so smoothly integrated into the show.
CASTING THE RUNES at the Pleasance Theatre
Reviewed on 20th October 2023
by Auriol Reddaway
Photography by theatrical.solutions
Previously reviewed at this venue:
Diana: The Untold And Untrue Story | ★★★★ | November 2022
Dirty Corset | ★★½ | April 2022
She Seeks Out Wool | ★★★★ | January 2022
Dog Show | ★★★★★ | December 2021
Lights Out | ★★★★ | October 2021
Catching Comets | ★★★★ | September 2021
Express G&S | ★★★★ | June 2021
Ginger Johnson & Pals | ★★★★ | June 2021
Godot is a Woman | ★★★½ | June 2021
Casting the Runes
Casting the Runes
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