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Post-Mortem

The Space

Reviewed – 17th April 2019

★★★★

“Sharazuddin’s writing is sensitive and balanced”

We are all familiar with the potency of obsessive teenage love. But what happens when that love is slowly devoured by circumstance, leaving trauma in its wake? Does time heal everything, or are some wounds irreparable?

Such a story should be impactful, written with purpose and precision. It is best told by engaging actors who can deliver rich, emotionally charged dialogue. A bit of choreography wouldn’t hurt, either.

Iskandar R. Sharazuddin’s Post-Mortem unites all these things to tell the story of Nancy and Alex, a couple whose tender, obsessive love for each other declines in the face of tragedy. The carcass of their relationship rattles with secrets, but it isn’t until ten years later – when they are best man and maid of honour at their friends’ wedding – that they come to light.

Sharazuddin’s writing is sensitive and balanced, a mixture of dialogue and monologues that illuminate aspects of their relationship and character. The image of them meeting in biology class whilst dissecting a pig heart (which Alex can’t touch, apparently, for religious reasons) perfectly sets the tone for their relationship and its eventual disintegration. Metaphors – the pig heart, Nancy’s obsession with hoovering, the wedding sonnet – elevate their caustic, subtly humorous conversations.

Small details provide a deeper insight into the characters’ emotional cores. Alex worries that his peers will make fun of his Asian heritage and homemade biriyani; Nancy comes from ‘a family of liars’, including a Lithuanian grandma who sits outside McDonalds and shouts at people. This hints at their respective insecurity and secretiveness, however these threads feel somewhat loose in the tightly woven tapestry of the whole. I would have loved to have seen these instances revisited in later scenes, both for the sake of nostalgia and to assert the importance of these formative feelings in determining the course of their lives.

Nevertheless, this is compensated for by the evocative movement sequences, which enhance and bridge the gaps between the fragmented scenes. Performed across the length of a white stage, they are beautifully illuminated by subtle lighting (set/costume design by Eleanor Bull and light/sound by Will Alder). It casts their shadows across the high walls of The Space, making the movement all the more haunting and beautiful.

Sharazuddin also performs in the piece, alongside Essie Barrow as Nancy. The pair have strong chemistry, which is clearly expressed in the movement sequences as well as in the dialogue. They engage with each other and the audience; their frequent eye contact makes it seem as though they are talking to us directly. Sharazuddin’s Alex is sensitive, yet reckless, whilst Barrow’s Nancy is strong and decisive. Their character development is subtle and believable and leads to a satisfying conclusion.

The one disappointment with this performance is that it was not well-attended. It seems a shame that such a well-constructed show should go unnoticed, especially given the thought-provoking nature of its content. Once seen, this sensitive and profound show leaves an impression that is hard to shake off.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography courtesy Ellandar Theatre Company

Post-Mortem

The Space until 20th April

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

The Full Bronte | ★★★ | October 2018

Woman of the Year | ★★★ | October 2018

Little Women | ★★★½ | December 2018

The Dip | ★★★★ | February 2019

The South Afreakins | ★★★★★ | February 2019

FFS! Feminist Fable Series | ★★★★ | March 2019

The Conductor | ★★★★ | March 2019

We Know Now Snowmen Exist | ★★★ | March 2019

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

★★★★

“achieves a sensitivity and drama which fills the theatre and rouses our emotions”

In the besieged city of Leningrad in 1941, a conductor, against all odds, gathers together an orchestra of starving and weakened musicians to give a momentous performance of Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony. Even though he is said to have planned the work as a general comment on terror, slavery and oppression, its timing means that it is remembered as a force of psychological warfare against Nazi despotism by the battered spirits of a tyrannised society. In an elegant adaptation by Mark Wallington and Jared McNeill, based on Sarah Quigley’s novel, ‘The Conductor’ tells the story of the ‘Leningrad Symphony’ and how the devastating circumstances of World War II gave Karl Eliasberg the opportunity to rise from the shadows of mediocre musical standing and conduct the first performance there. With dramatic and evocative musical illustration, it shows the power of artistic expression fighting to overcome the surrounding atrocities. Who knows why these men in such dire physical state agreed to sacrifice their health and, in a few cases, lives for that concert? Possibly the extra rations offered to them but, more likely, to restore a sense of dignity in their souls and those of their fellow citizens.

Occupying half the stage, the composer sits at his grand piano, engrossed in composition as Eliasberg describes his own modest upbringing and aspirations and his admiration for Shostakovich’s genius. Joseph Skelton plays a conductor who wins our sympathy with his quiet, unassuming nature; describing himself as ‘cold’ and ‘good at keeping time’, he displays acceptance rather than bitterness. Deborah Wastell, with dexterous change of accent creates a handful of peripheral characters, adding detail to daily life – the mother who refuses to be evacuated, Shostakovich’s long-suffering wife, the dancer who befriends Eliasberg. And while we build an image of the hardships through Eliasberg and the people around him, Shostakovich appears detached from reality, absorbed in his own world. Daniel Wallington portrays this remoteness while evoking the moods of war, reminiscence and victory with his extraordinarily passionate piano playing.

‘The Conductor’ is a unique piece of theatre. It cleverly infuses the music into the narrative and completes the background picture with perceptive minor roles. Jared McNeill’s direction captures the contrast between the musicians and the trepidation in the atmosphere but as the action evolves (notably after the intense musical episodes) Eliasberg’s thoughtful pauses break the flow and the tension relaxes rather than heightens towards his ‘glory of fame and grief of loss’. While the piano is unable to recreate the textures and colours of a large orchestra, in this case it fits perfectly into context and Wallington achieves a sensitivity and drama which fills the theatre and rouses our emotions.

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

The Space

Reviewed – 17th April 2019

★★★★

“Sharazuddin’s writing is sensitive and balanced”

We are all familiar with the potency of obsessive teenage love. But what happens when that love is slowly devoured by circumstance, leaving trauma in its wake? Does time heal everything, or are some wounds irreparable?

Such a story should be impactful, written with purpose and precision. It is best told by engaging actors who can deliver rich, emotionally charged dialogue. A bit of choreography wouldn’t hurt, either.

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography courtesy Ellandar Theatre Company

Post-Mortem

The Space until 20th April

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

The Space

Reviewed – 28th March 2019

★★★★

“achieves a sensitivity and drama which fills the theatre and rouses our emotions”

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

The Conductor

The Space until 13th April

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue: