Jeannie

Finborough Theatre

Reviewed – 29th November 2018

★★★★

“The dialogue is light and witty and handled skilfully by the cast, whilst the story has enough twists to keep the audience invested”

Jeannie is the new production at Finborough Theatre – except it isn’t new at all, because Aimée Stuart’s play about a humble Scotswoman experiencing life for the first time premiered almost eighty years ago, in February 1940. Sadly, Stuart’s numerous plays, books and screenplays remain forgotten, despite her five decades worth of output. This revival succeeds, not only in celebrating her work, but in creating a refined production of her sweet and enchanting play.

Jeannie McLean has devoted her whole life to her parents, first as her mother’s companion, then as her widowed father’s carer. When she receives an inheritance of £200, she decides to leave the small Scottish town of her birth and travel to Vienna, home of her favourite song – the Blue Danube Waltz – and undiscovered possibilities. But, whilst Jeannie might be able to hold her own, independence is not as easy as it seems.

Despite its old-fashioned aura, Jeannie feels more like a classic Hollywood movie than a forgotten relic. The dialogue is light and witty and handled skilfully by the cast, whilst the story has enough twists to keep the audience invested. At its heart, it is a story about a woman who continually triumphs over adversity. Jeannie may be naïve, but she is strong-willed, dignified, and does not rely on others. When Stanley Smith, an inventor who she meets on her way to Vienna, offers to buy her dinner, she insists on paying her share. When he asks why she is single, she replies that it’s because men ‘have bad taste’. Jeannie can easily stand shoulder to shoulder, not only with her male companions, but with the quintessential strong female characters of the era. Now, Voyager’s Charlotte Vale could have learnt a thing or two from Jeannie McLean.

The show benefits from an excellent cast. Mairi Hawthorn brings Jeannie to life with subtly and humour: her nuanced performance reveals Jeannie’s hidden depths and endears her to the audience from the very beginning. Her chemistry with Matthew Mellalieu (whose down-to-earth Stanley Smith perfectly balances our Jeannie’s innocence) ensures that their scenes together are the most enjoyable of the show. Kim Durham also stands out in his brief yet memorable performance as Jeannie’s curmudgeonly father. In addition to their acting duties, the cast also have to deal with a number of set changes. These are handled well, though designer James Helps’ attention to detail can make them a little overlong, and can pull us out of the world that the cast have worked so hard to create. That being said, the set pieces are impressive and help transform the small, plain space of the Finborough beyond recognition.

Whilst not a story that will break new ground, Jeannie is witty and spirited, with a kind of nostalgic charm that makes it an ideal form of escapism.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography by Ali Wright

Jeannie

Finborough Theatre until 22nd December

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

The Biograph Girl | ★★★ | May 2018

Finishing the Picture | ★★★★ | June 2018

But it Still Goes on | ★★★★ | July 2018

Homos, or Everyone in America | ★★★★ | August 2018

A Winning Hazard | ★★★★ | September 2018

Square Rounds | ★★★ | September 2018

A Funny Thing Happened … | ★★★★ | October 2018

Bury the Dead | ★★★★ | November 2018

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com

★★★★

“a moving and powerful theatrical experience”

Primo Levi, who died in 1987, was an Italian-Jewish Holocaust survivor and the author of a number of respected works including an account of the year he spent as a prisoner at Auschwitz concentration camp. Drowned or Saved? is a new play written and directed by Geoffrey Williams that not only pays homage to Levi’s message of humanity, compassion and perseverance but also forces the audience to never forget the systematic murder of six million Jews. Whilst it is difficult to conceptualise that number of people, it is easier to understand one person’s story and in essence, this is what the play focuses on.

The audience is greeted by Levi in his sparsely furnished study. There are some books and a Menorah, a symbol of Judaism since ancient times. He is restless and unable to sleep. He struggles to get closer to a character in a story he cannot complete, so he delves into his haunting memories of Auschwitz and recalls characters he met.

Marco Gambino is perfectly cast as Primo Levi. He commands the stage and wonderfully conveys the tormented soul Primo has become. Equally talented, Paula Cassina plays his loving wife Lucia and also their housekeeper Mrs Giordanino as well as Vanda, a close friend of Primo’s who died alongside him on the train to Auschwitz. Alex Marchi takes on six very different character roles and is able to successfully switch between them, often in the same scene. The final cast member is Eve Niker who has the difficult task of conveying, with no words, the disintegration of an inmate in those terrible conditions. Primo knows her only as Null Achtzehn (translated to 018) due to him recognising part of her camp serial number.

Designer Baśka Wesołowska has created a simple but effective set with wooden slatted walls which adapt with the play’s timeline, from a study to a train wagon and finally to the camp. Rachael Murray’s sound design flows well and the lighting (Matt Leventhall) helps create a smooth transition backwards and forwards in time.

Amongst the outstanding storytelling, there are some moments that don’t quite work. Those not able to understand German and Italian, as well as Jewish tradition, may at times feel slightly isolated from the content. Equally the ending, whilst incredibly emotional, left the story slightly unfinished and I felt more could have been told about Levi. However, the writing and direction from Geoffrey Williams is commendable. Whilst the piece will appeal to a wider audience, it is certainly unmissable for those with an interest in the Holocaust, history or indeed with a Jewish background.

Drowned or Saved? clearly it isn’t a light hearted piece. It is however a moving and powerful theatrical experience covering a horrific, yet important, part of modern history that should never be forgotten.

Reviewed by Steve Sparrow

Photography by Ewa Ferdynus

Finborough Theatre

Reviewed – 29th November 2018

★★★★

“The dialogue is light and witty and handled skilfully by the cast, whilst the story has enough twists to keep the audience invested”

Whilst not a story that will break new ground, Jeannie is witty and spirited, with a kind of nostalgic charm that makes it an ideal form of escapism.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography by Ali Wright

Jeannie

Finborough Theatre until 22nd December

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Tristan Bates Theatre

Reviewed – 8th November 2018

★★★★

“a moving and powerful theatrical experience”

Drowned or Saved? clearly it isn’t a light hearted piece. It is however a moving and powerful theatrical experience covering a horrific, yet important, part of modern history that should never be forgotten.

Reviewed by Steve Sparrow

Photography by Ewa Ferdynus

Drowned or Saved?

Tristan Bates Theatre until 24th November

Previously reviewed at this venue: