Adapted by Steven
Berkoff from the Franz Kafka novella
Directed by Adam
Broinowski
The Street Theatre to
31 August
Reviewed by Len Power
17 August 2019
Franz Kafka’s startling 1915 novella about an ordinary man
who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect has
had scholars debating its meaning ever since.
In Steven Berkoff’s 1969 adaptation for the stage, the opportunity is
there for directors to unleash their creativity and produce their own vision of
this classic story.
The choice of seating configuration in the Street Two space,
as well as the Klezmer-style music, gave a nicely claustrophobic effect to this
production right from the beginning. The
director, Adam Broinowski, has set his production in an apartment in a modern
deindustrialized landscape spanning the 20th – 21st century.
The detailed work of set and costume designer, Imogen Keen,
created an instantly disorienting and effectively drab eastern European atmosphere
(with cabbages) which was complemented by Kimmo Vennonen’s clever sound design
and an excellent lighting design by Andrew Meadows. The production fearlessly deals with the
messy aspects of having an over-sized insect in the home.
The highly stylised direction had the cast giving very
physical performances with well-chosen elements of mime and exaggeration. It was played with a heightened reality that
added to the intensity of the experience.
 |
| Dylan Van Den Berg as Gregor |
As Gregor, the man who turns into the insect, Dylan Van Den
Berg gave a fine performance, retaining the audience’s sympathy for his plight
throughout. Ruth Pieloor gave a notable reality
to the amusing and touching elements of her portrayal of the highly emotional mother. Christopher Samuel Carroll, with his effective
face makeup, was especially strong as the father, showing his distaste and
impatience with the situation very clearly.
Stefanie Lekkas as the daughter, Greta, gave a believable performance of
a girl who grows into a take-charge confident young woman during the course of
the play.
 |
| Top: Stefanie Lekkas, Left to Right: Christopher Samuel Carroll, Dylan Van Den Berg and Ruth Pieloor |
Director, Adam Broinowski, clearly had a vision which he was
able to translate effectively to the stage.
Whether viewed as a nightmarish fantasy, a highly significant work full
of symbolic meaning or just a bit of fun, this was an entertaining and
memorable production.
Photos by Shelly
Higgs
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast on the Artsound FM 92.7 ‘In the Foyer’ program on Mondays
and Wednesdays at 3.30pm.