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| Ruth Pierloor (Mrs Samsa) - Christopher Samuel Carroll (Mr Samsa) |
Adapted by Steven Berkoff from the Franz Kafka
novella.
Directed by
Adam Brionowski – Designed by Imogen Keen
Lighting design
by Andrew Meadows – Sound design by Kimmo Vennonen.
The Street
Theatre 17th - 31st August 2019.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Franz
Kafka’s novella about a young man, who wakes up one morning to find that he has
transformed into a giant insect and the response of his family to his
predicament, has spawned many adaptations. Perhaps the most durable is Stephen Berkoff’s
1969 version which is here given a fascinating dada production by the Street
Theatre.
Directed
with flair by Adam Brionowski, “Metamorphosis” takes place in an impressively
surreal setting designed by Imogen Keen that transforms the intimate Street 2
into a grim, harshly lit environment for both audience and actors. Fresh
cabbages act as both decoration and sustenance for the wretched family.
Each of the
characters is introduced individually, appearing startlingly at a small window.
Their movements are mechanical and stylised, their expressions often blank,
doll-like. At the beginning of the play they
form an insect-like shape signalling what is to come. At one point during the
play the use Dali-esque masks to become prospective lodgers.
Despite the
grotesque movement and heavy make-up each of the actors cleverly manages mine
the inherent humanity of their characters to involve the audience in the absurd
and absorbing events which inexorably unfold.
Christopher
Samuel Carroll, his naturally strong presence enhanced by exaggerated, heavily
lined make-up, gives a compelling performance as the father-figure, Mr. Samsa,
practically bereft of any patriarchal
emotions by the struggle to exist. As his wife, Mrs Samsa, Ruth Pierloor is
equally compelling as she struggles to support her husband, her loyalties
conflicted by her maternal feelings for her distressed son, Gregor.
 |
| Stephanie Lekkas (Greta Samsa) |
Stefanie
Lekkas is quite captivating as the daughter, Greta, at first, defiant in her
determination to nurture her brother, but finally, as his predicament becomes
more and more dire and beyond solution, complicit in ensuring her own survival.
 |
| Dylan Van Den Berg (Gregor Samsa) |
As the
unfortunate Gregor, Dylan Van Den Berg captures attention with an intensely
physical performance in which he’s required to climb walls, swing from ropes
and writhe in slime, all of which he copes with manfully. A pity therefore that
his final transformation comes as an anti-climax, because, despite early
struggles with detachable intestines, the only evidence of change in his
appearance by the end of the play, is the slime that clings to his person,
otherwise he remains steadfastly human, raising a question as to what it was
about his appearance that his family found so repulsive.
That quibble
aside, this is a very accomplished production which offers its audience the
too-rare opportunity to experience brilliantly performed dada theatre, and as
such should be embraced by theatre students as well as by anyone interested in
theatre history.
