MARY STUART - Chaika Theatre

https://ccc-canberracriticscircle.blogspot.com/2024/07/mary-stuart-chaika-theatre.html

Steph Roberts as "Mary Stuart"

Adapted by Kate Mulvany after Friedrich Schiller

Directed by Luke Rogers – Designed by Kathleen Kershaw

Sound designed by Georgia Snudden – Composed by Rachael Dease

ACT Hub. July 24th to August 3rd – Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Cameron Thomas (Paulet) - Lily Welling (young girl) - Steph Roberts (Mary Stuart) - James McMahon (Mortimer) in "Mary Stuart". 

ACT Hub continues to build on its well-earned reputation as the go-to theatre for challenging, well-staged and acted productions. This production of Mary Stuart by Chaika Theatre is a case of point.

Based on a 19th century play by Friedrich Schiller, itself based on real events which occurred in the sixteenth century, Mary Stuart has been given a pithy adaptation by Kate Mulvany in attempt to make it more accessible to 21st century audiences.

The adaptability of the ACT Hub itself encourages thoughtful design choices, so for this production, director Luke Rogers and his designer Kathleen Kershaw have set the action on a bare, raised, cross-shape stage which runs the full length of the theatre, with the audience seated on either side.



                Steph Roberts (Mary Stuart) - Karen Vickery ( Elizabeth 1st) in "Mary Stuart"


The only suggestions of period comes from the striking details on the ambiguous abstract costumes worn by the two female protagonists and some of the male characters. .

The battle between Mary, Queen of Scots, and her cousin, Elizabeth 1st of England provides juicy roles for two strong female actors. With actors of the quality and accomplishment of Karen Vickery and Steph Roberts, and a team of excellent male actors at his disposal, Luke Rogers had everything necessary to produce a memorable evening of high quality theatre.

Therefore his decision to eschew lavish sets and costumes in favour of a pared-back approach, relying on the quality of his actors to carry the weight of portraying the story of two flawed and complicated women engaged in a battle where the stakes couldn’t be higher, was a good one.

Given the title of the play, it might have been expected that the focus would be on Mary Stuart, the Scottish Queen (Steph Roberts), who had been imprisoned for 19 years by her cousin, Elizabeth Tudor (Karen Vickery). 

Steph Roberts offers a compelling performance as Mary Stuart,  the former queen who, despite her long imprisonment, could still summon the strength to challenge her powerful cousin in a last ditch attempt to secure her freedom, even offering to give up her throne if it will result in her seeing the son who had been taken away from her when she was imprisoned.



                                 Karen Vickery as Elizabeth 1st in "Mary Stuart"


However it is Karen Vickery’s extraordinary Trumpian portrayal of Elizabeth as a wild-eyed, foul-mouthed harridan that dominates the production.

Vickery offers a stunning performance that is impossible to tear your eyes away from.

Her timing and line delivery fascinate as she teases, taunts and flirts with those around her.

The verbal battle between Mary and Elizabeth, in which they tear metaphorical strips off each other, is the high point of the play and is brilliantly executed by both actors.

Karen Vickery (Elizabeth 1st) and Steph Roberts (Mary Stuart) in "Mary Stuart"

  
Although Mulvany, towards the end of the play, attempts to garner sympathy for Elizabeth by having her doubt her own motives, it comes too late for Vickery’s Elizabeth to convince the audience that she is deserving of any.

Mulvany has given none of her male characters much to work with. Not one of the men who surround Elizabeth dare challenge her behaviour or authority. That is left to Mary.

The male roles are there simply to support and surround the two central characters.

Within this restriction though, Jarrad West offers a carefully nuanced performance as Elizabeth’s self-serving consort, Leicester. Cameron Thomas successfully wins audience sympathy with his portrayal of Mary’s loyal gaoler, Paulet; while James McMahon establishes a threatening presence as Paulet’s nephew, Mortimer.

Blue Hyslop’s supercilious French Ambassador Aubespine is amusing, but Hyslop’s inability to maintain his accent during the second act rather undermined his believability. Richard Manning as Elizabeth’s ineffectual Prime Minister, Burleigh, and Neil McLeod as her aged adviser, Shrewsbury, invested their roles with as much dignity as the script allowed.

However, it is the performance of Lachlan Herring who comes on late in the play as Elizabeth’s confused young secretary, Davison, that remains in the memory among the male characters, because it is Davison’s predicament that most exposes the real character of Elizabeth.


Although the purpose of the mysterious servant girl (Lily Welling) who wanders through the play dispensing drinks and gathering discarded props is never explained other than as a handy prop distributing device; Luke Rogers has successfully guided his cast through a lucid and fascinating production, especially notable for the performances of its two leading ladies. 

Its a production which will take its place among the ever-growing list of must-see productions for which the ACT Hub has become celebrated.

                                                 

                                                     Images by Jane Duong

                        This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW.