Adapted and Directed by Emma RiceKneehigh Production
Canberra Theatre
2 - 5 October 2013
Review by Len Power
The 1946 British movie ‘Brief Encounter’, is one of those perfect romantic gems that you can watch and enjoy over and over again. Noel Coward expanded his one act play, ‘Still Life’ into a screenplay entitled, ‘Brief Encounter’ about a doomed love affair between two very proper English people bound by the behavioural standards of the time. Directed by David Lean and starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson, it became and remains one of the most loved romantic movies of all time. Who would dare to try and turn it into a stage play and hope to retain its magic?
Kneehigh
productions’ stage version of ‘Brief Encounter’ takes on the impossible and gets
it right. It’s already played in London
and on Broadway with great success. With
the movie as a starting point and, using music, dance, puppetry and the latest
in audio-visual technology, they have created a memorable entertainment that will
please fans of the movie but also delight everyone else.
The
international cast of six plus two musicians are a talented group. As the lovers, Alec and Laura, Scotland’s Jim
Sturgeon and Australia’s Michelle Nightingale effortlessly capture the spirit
of the characters in the movie and their parting at the end of the play remains
quite moving. England’s Annette
McLaughlin is very funny as the tough tearoom manager, Myrtle, putting on airs
and graces that fool nobody but herself.
England’s Joe Alessi convincingly plays the dual roles of Fred and
Albert and his passionate pas de deux with his love interest, Myrtle, is one of
the funniest moments in the show as well as being very well danced. Australia’s Kate Cheel as Beryl, Myrtle’s
assistant in the tearoom shines in her ‘Mad About The Boy’ number and is a dry comedian
with a great sense of timing. USA’s Damon
Daunno as her love interest, Stanley, is very funny and has a very appealing singing
voice. Musicians Dave Brown and James
Gow, accompanying the cast throughout the show, are excellent.
One
of the strengths of this production is its use of audio-visual technology. With projection and film designers, Jon
Driscoll and Gemma Carrington and sound designer, Simon Baker, working
together, actors are able to jump in and out of film projected on screens with
realistic sounds of railways stations of the period. There was even a full size express train
screaming at high speed across the stage to the delight of the audience. Puppetry by Lyndie Wright works amusingly
well and the designer, Neil Murray, has done excellent work with the clever set
and period costumes.
The
show was adapted and directed by Emma Rice who has taken a much loved movie and
turned it into an imaginative, hilarious, tuneful but still touching and
magical theatrical experience. The
original movie is a must see classic and now so is this stage production.
Broadcast on Artsound FM
92.7 ‘Dress Circle’ program on Sunday 6 October 2013.