A Night at the Theatre

Another week has passed in a blur of notes, highlighters and early morning library sessions. Exams are edging ever closer and, while this is terrifying, I am still making sure to break up the torture with treats. This particular treat veered away from the foodie side of things, instead coming in the form of a night at the theatre.

Elly's friend Hebe is at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and she invited Elly and I along to see a play that they are taking on tour around the South West. For those non-dramatic types, Bristol Old Vic is one of the most prestigious theatre schools in the country, so it promised good things. I am slowly but surely losing sight of reality as it descends into a murky pool of sociofunctionalist approaches to myth and pagan allusions in Dante and Milton, so a night of theatrical relief was met with cries of happiness and tears of joy (almost literary- I'm not joking when I say work is taking its toll on my nerves). So at 7:30 on Friday evening, after failing somewhat to master the whole two-people-on-one-bike scenario, Elly and I arrived at the Redgrave Theatre in Clifton.

The play in question was called Moonfleet and was directed by Kim Durham. It tracks the journey of a young impressionable boy, John Trenchard, growing up on the Dorset coast and spending his days fantasising about smugglers, indulging in ghost stories and flirting with the local magistrate's daughter, Grace (much to the exasperation of his strict Christian aunt, with whom he lives). Ok yes, admittedly this does sound more Pirates of Penzance than Romeo and Juliet; not quite the high brow, heavily symbolic and raw art we stereotypically associate with prestigious theatre schools, however Moonfleet has much more to offer than a simple adventure story.

The actors managed to successfully manoeuvre the play between the lighthearted comedic moments and the more sober scenes of grief and heartbreak with subtlety and immaculacy, keeping the audience permanently entertained. It is fairly easy for an audience to lose track of the plot a little when a play is performed in an old colloquial dialect, which Moonfleet was, however the actors' diction, projection and intonation, as well as their various accents (which included Dorset, Scottish and even Dutch), were all spot on. Their use of the stage space was also innovative and imaginative. I believe that using a lot of props can sometimes be a little risky as some actors rely on them too heavily and consequently the audience's imaginative licence, which is so integral to the effect of theatre, is unfairly infringed upon. However, Moonfleet struck the right balance with just enough barrels, ropes and benches to set the play within the context of an 18th century coastal village, whilst simultaneously allowing flexibility between scenes. Wooden planks were used to great effect, particularly in the scene where John (played by Perry Moore) discovers the crypt beneath the church. The other actors adjusted the planks to different heights and angles to portray the winding passages of John's journey to the smugglers hideaway, an effective and seamlessly executed trick. Another particularly inventive use of the props was employed in John's descent into the well in Act 2. The planks created the opening of the well, while Moore sat on a bench below, clinging to a rope. As he 'descended', the planks were lifted upwards and Moore wiggled away on the lower bench, still clinging to the rope. Cross-cutting was employed, with the turnkey (played by Dominic Creasey) and Elzevir (played by Phil Dunster), standing stage left and calling down an opening in the stage floor, whilst Moore yelled towards the theatre ceiling. The props and this technique, coupled with the use of an echo on Moore's voice, was both effective and amusing.

The play revolved around a small yet tight knit community, made all the more intimate through the contrastingly tense relationship with the local magistrate, Mr. Maskew. The actors who weren't performing sat around the stage intently watching the action. I felt that this subtle touch reflected the small intimacy of the community, where gossip spread fast and everyone knew one another's business. This in turn made the comedic moments that little bit funnier, as the characters and actors alike seemed to be joining in on the fun, whilst also making the tense moments fraught, as the characters came under the scrutiny of many unseen eyes. From this position offstage the actors played a range of instruments, including the violin, the recorder and the cello, which added a musical dimension. Not only did this add to the increasingly long list of the cast's talents, but also directed the mood of the piece and spurred the play onwards, meaning the audience never prematurely tired of a scene. On this musical note, I must also comment on the singing that ran through the play, which performed a similar function to that of the instruments and also set the action within the context of Moonfleet; the cheerful folk songs conveyed the sense of camaraderie and playfulness that epitomised the villagers. Nicola Paggart, who played Grace, and Bethan Nash, who played Nancy, had particularly beautiful voices. Nash's range was extraordinary and left me in complete awe and embarrassment at my own singing voice, which sounds utterly professional in the comfort of my own shower, but was put to shame in comparison with these talented ladies.

The whole cast was brilliant, but for me there were a few standout performances. Firstly, from Perry Moore, who was on stage for almost the entirety of the play and therefore held the responsibility of honing the audience's sympathies accordingly. Moore portrayed the endearing naivety of boyhood alongside the selfish, occasionally arrogant tendencies of a young man with perfect balance and energy. Dominic Creasy provided shining moments of comic brilliance, particularly as the loathsome yet hilarious turnkey. Hebe Dickens, whom I must thank for inviting us, is a natural comedian. Her depiction of Aldobrand was particularly hysterical, most notably revealed in the meticulous inspection of John and Elzevir's diamond; the fact that Hebe kept the audience roaring with laughter for a good few minutes without having to say a word was testament to her comic prowess. Another impressive performance was achieved by Phil Dunster, who played Elzevir Block, the brooding and charismatic tavern owner, who John adopts as an idol and father-figure. Dunster invested a dark intensity in his characterisation of Elzevir, which set him apart from the other characters. This gave him a very commanding stage presence (also helped by his devilishly handsome looks); the audience found themselves both admiring and fearing him. His final moments on stage were executed with energy and conviction. His last line was delivered with such genuine feeling that it was truly heart-breaking; something reflected in the audience's resounding silence.

Moonfleet is touring from now until Wednesday 3rd July. You can find dates, locations and information on their website, here.

A cast of very lovely and very talented people in a genuinely entertaining and enjoyable play. Thank you Moonfleet for lifting me out of my revision insanity, if only for one night.

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